Till We Ain't Strangers Anymore
by IcyJadeXOXO
Summary: How long are you supposed to mourn a lost love? Elena's been asking herself that question for quite some time. After a brave decision and a bold move, she takes the step towards healing. But can she really move on with her life, when a love that once consumed her is just around the corner waiting to be found. [Takes place a couple of years after season 5 finale.]
1. Chapter 1 - Begin Again

**TITLE** : Till We Ain't Strangers Anymore

**DISCLAIMER** : I don't own any of the _recognizable characters_. They belong to _L.J. Smith, Kevin Williamson, Julie Plec, Caroline Dries, __et al.,_and CW Network.

**SUMMARY** : How long are you supposed to mourn a lost love? Elena's been asking herself that question for quite some time. After a brave decision and a bold move, she takes the step towards healing. But can she really move on with her life, when a love that once consumed her is just around the corner waiting to be found. [Takes place a couple of years after season 5 finale.]

**PAIRING(S)** : **Delena**, _Beremy_...well, kinda. It's complicated.

**RATING** : T (just to be on the safe side) for the time being. Rating may be raised to M in later chapters.

**AUTHOR'S NOTE** : What can I say? I hate hiatuses. This has been brewing inside my head for a while now. I just had to see if it translates well on paper, so to speak. Not a professional writer (all done for fun) and this is self-beta'd, so pardon the grammatical errors, if any. The length of chapters may vary. It's all entirely dependent on the muses and the plot bunnies. Not really sure how long this will be. I'd consider myself fortunate if I finish it before season 6 premieres. That being said, certain aspects of this fic may or may not be compliant to the continuity of TVD storyline. I may claim licencia poetica every now and then, so it's canon until it's not.

* * *

**CHAPTER ONE – Begin Again**

* * *

_Dear Diary, _

_Today will be different. It has to be. I will smile, and it will be believable. My smile will say "I'm fine, thank you." "Yes, I feel much better." I will no longer be the sad little girl who lost her parents. I will start fresh, be someone new. It's the only way I'll make it through._

Elena woke up startled to the sound of a soft yet sharp ding, only to see a light turn on that signaled to fasten your seat belts. It took a moment for her head to clear, and her surroundings to register. She was on board a plane. A plane that was taking her to a brand new life. A new beginning.

Her mind drifts back to that young girl with pin-straight brown hair from her dream. That's not her anymore. That sad little girl who lost her parents grew up. The pin-straight hair was replaced with a more naturally wavy one, with scattered flecks of blonde frosting at the tips. She still writes, but no longer hangs out on cemeteries. She's lost not one, but two sets of parents. Lost two of her best friends, one to death, the other one to anger. She was still sad, but not lonely. No longer human, but struggling to keep her soul. Constantly in search for a reason to go on. Waiting, with hope that her heart would beat once again.

Her heart did beat before. It beat excitedly, thrilled at that idea of first love blossoming from a friendship that started when they shared a crib. Her heart beat enthusiastically, over a love that gave her hope again. Hope that she can risk loving someone, and not worry about the pain of losing him. It was epic. But then the sun came up, and reality set in.

But then, her heart did beat again, this time very passionately, once she found the one love that consumed her. The one love that gave her passion, adventure, and a whole lot of danger. That one love that, even in death, made her feel more alive. That one love who promised to never leave her again. That he will find his way back to her. She likes to let people believe that she's moved on, but the truth is that deep inside, she's still waiting for him to fulfill that promise.

_Damon. You lied to me. Why did you lie to me?_

Another one of the questions that filled her head, when she's alone at night and nobody can see her cry herself to sleep. She misses him. The man she was supposed to spend the rest of eternity with was gone. It's been years, but the pain still remained fresh.

For quite some time, she had been filled with anger. Angry at Caroline and even angrier with Stefan. It's not their fault, she knew that much. It was Damon's decision to bring his brother back from the dead, and it was also his decision to not let Caroline's mom die. It wasn't anyone's fault. Last time she heard, Stefan and Caroline were together, and she wishes them well. She's just not a big enough person to tell them that to their faces.

She knew better than letting her anger control her. She needed to focus on more important matters. She sighed and looked to her the left, where her brother sat, then at their 'guardian' who sat at the seat in front of her. Bonnie was wrong when she said that she doesn't need to be there for everybody. She does need to be here, if not for everyone, at least for the family that she had left. Everyone else can find their own way.

_Jeremy._ Her brother was all grown up now. For a while, in his grief, he pushed her away, plagued by the same demons that haunted him after their parents' death. Sad, but mostly angry. His anger directed towards himself for failing to save the woman whose love and sacrifice brought him back from the dead. But that's all in the past now. He found his way back to his family. Her brother's clean and recently rehabilitated. He's managed to pull himself together, something she admired and wished for herself.

She was so happy when Jeremy broke the news to her and Alaric. He got accepted at two art schools. One in Orlando, Florida, and a scholarship at New York Academy. Personally, she was glad that he chose the latter. Orlando didn't appeal much to her. It implies fun and amusement, which she's been highly allergic to lately, and Florida means beaches, which means swimming. _Little tip...vampires hate to swim._

New York City, on the other hand, was a place she had a history with. Albeit, there were reminders of a dark point in her life, but all the memories she cared to remember were the ones that she shared with Damon. She had always wanted to return there, and make better memories. She can still do that, only not with him.

She then looked at the snoring figure sitting in front of her. Even Alaric was doing slightly better. Apparently, him having Enhanced Original vampire settings allow him to do compulsion over the phone. He has compelled himself a job as a Professor of History at the State University of New York at Stony Brook. He still drinks enough Bourbon for both him and Damon, but he's always been there whenever he's needed. His own way of honoring Damon's memory was 'taking care of the children', whatever that meant.

Alaric, much like the rest of them, had a long journey to healing. He had his share of struggles, coping with being a vampire at first. She tried to help him as much as she could, but things would have gone a lot smoother if it were Damon who helped him. Damon was a much better teacher, albeit some of his methods weren't exactly conventional. But Damon wasn't there, and they all just had to make do.

Not to say that Alaric was now in full control of his vampirism, far from it. If he were in control, Elena wouldn't have had to compel them first-class seats on the plane, just to make sure that they were as far away from the crowd as they possibly could. If he were in control, then Elena wouldn't have to hold on to her purse just to make sure that she had a vervain dart handy every time she sees him fidget in his sleep.

_No wonder Damon had always preferred a road trip over a plane ride._ Vampire cravings were a lot worse when you're stuck inside a flying box full of potential blood donors for hours. It doesn't take much to make them blood-thirsty.

Elena wasn't the one to complain about her life though. She was fine with looking after of Jeremy, and being Alaric's vampire mentor. She needed something to focus on, otherwise, she would've gone insane a long time ago. Having her brother and their guardian back in her life gave her a purpose. They gave her a reason to go on.

She did try to continue her studies at Whitmore. She was surprised that it lasted a little over a year. It didn't make her happy. It didn't take her mind off of things. She then realized that, as much as she wanted to make Dr. Grayson Gilbert proud, being a pre-Med student just was not in the stars for her. Besides, being a still relatively young vampire, resisting the blood that came with the territory of being a doctor would have eventually become a bit of a problem. So when she heard Jeremy's news, she made a decision and sent samples of her work to NYU and surprisingly enough, she got accepted to their creative writing program.

Everyone gets a second chance, even her. A new dawn. A new beginning. A clean slate. No one in New York City knew of their life stories. No one there to judge them. A new place that they can call home, where they can just BE. And she hoped that wherever they are, Damon and Bonnie are rooting for them as well.

She heard the pilot's announcement that they'd be landing in a few minutes. Both Alaric and ]Jeremy woke up from their slumber. Not long after that, and they were disembarking. They collected their luggage and stepped out of the airport, and into the city.

_This is it. No turning back now. A new life. A fresh start._

She smiled when she saw a crow that was perched on top of the street light.

"Hello, Damon," she whispered, before getting inside the taxicab that that will drive them around foggy streets of New York City.

_Everything will be alright. _ She needed to tell herself that over and over. Maybe someday, she'll finally believe it. Until then, she will smile, and it will be believable.

* * *

**~END OF CHAPTER ONE~**

* * *

***A/N 2** :

-Where's Damon, you ask? That question will be answered in a later chapter. As much as I'd love to keep this strictly Delena, I'm afraid that that the muses have other plans.

-This takes place a couple of years after the season 5 finale, which, in my mind, I think would make Elena 21 years old and Jeremy (turning) 20.

-Song Suggestions : **Till We Ain't Strangers Anymore by Bon Jovi and LeAnn Rimes** ; **Begin Again by Taylor Swift**

-Hope you liked what I've written so far, and that I've kept you intrigued enough to stick around for the next chapter. Reviews are not mandatory, but it is encouraged. Your comments serve as food for the muses. I welcome your opinions, but easy on the flames, please.


	2. Chapter 2 - Blackbird

**A/N** : Many thanks to all of you who read the first chapter, and to those of you who have been patiently awaiting the next one. Let's see if you can guess who this chapter is about. And so, without further ado...

* * *

**CHAPTER TWO – Blackbird**

* * *

He stood upon the balcony of his apartment in Lower Manhattan, sipping his tea and staring at the murder of crows all lined up outside staring back at him. It's as if they were waiting for something. Waiting for what, that remains to be the unanswered question. It used to freak him out when he first saw them, perched on the electric wires outside his window. A symbol of death, he's been told. They've been watching him everyday for a good couple of years now. He often wondered if they had been waiting for him to croak, like the doctors who kept telling him he's going to die any day now for the past two years. Ever since they found his body floating on the New York Harbor, practically lifeless, with no memory of his past. They said he should have died that day. They told him it was a miracle that he was still alive today. And everyday, he's made it his life's mission to prove them wrong.

_Not today, birds. Not today._ He took one last look at the crows, then went back inside his room.

He showered and put on fresh clothes, and started to get ready to begin the day. Any day that he woke up in the morning was a good day, but today was extra special. He had finally achieved something he wanted to do for a long time. He fixed his tie, making sure it was straight. He normally doesn't wear a neck tie to work. He was more of a dark jeans, t-shirt and leather jacket kind of guy. But today, he felt the need to look nice. He stared at himself in the full-length Cheval mirror, into his eyes that were blue as the ocean, which always seem to captivate people. His raven dark hair that emphasized his chiseled features, which often enchanted women. Not that he'd ever used his good looks to seduce women. He was above being a cad.

He always thought that he must justify the right to exist. And no one can deny that he's earned his right to be alive on this earth. He's a fairly decent guy. He's environmentally conscious, he recycles, plant trees. He's kind to animals, the type of guy who would rescue kittens stuck on tree branches. He does volunteer work for the community and donates to charity. He's a lover, not a fighter. His record is spotless. By everyone's standards, he's an all-around nice guy. A little too nice, much to the chagrin of Jillian.

His cellphone chimed to the tune of 'Jack and Jill'. _Speak of the devil._ That would be Jillian, his best friend ever since he could remember.

"Hello, Jill," he greeted.

"Hello, hello," she singsonged in a cheerful voice. "And a very good morning to you!"

"Someone's in a good mood," he teased.

"I am in a GREAT mood! I have the most amazing news,"she said.

"Me too! You go first," he told her.

"Nuh uh...you go first. Because whatever your news is, my news will blow it out of the water," she challenged.

"Okay, fine. She signed the papers! I'm free of her, finally," he announced excitedly.

"You mean Fire Crotch let you go? Wow! Didn't think she had it in her. That is some great news!" she said incredulously.

He chuckled at the woman at the other end of the line. Jillian. Only he gets to call her Jill. His dearest friend, from what he can recall. A fellow survivor from the New York Harbor incident. They made quite a pair. Two broken people who were trying to find their place in this crazy world.

"She's a bitch," she said, breaking him out of his thoughts.

"She's not a bitch," he disagreed.

"She's a bitch to everyone else, save you," she insisted.

"Oh, you mean just like the way YOU are?" he asked.

"Yes, except I don't wanna use you body for sex. Cause that would be so EWWW!" she cringed.

"Gee, thanks. You really know how to make a guy feel like a million bucks," he snorted.

"Anyways, I'm glad that you are no longer the lap dog of Satan," she told him.

"That's not a very nice thing to say," he chastised her.

"Ummm, hello? I'm NOT nice!" she pointed out.

"Moving on, tell me about your amazing news," he switched the subject.

"Guess who had a callback to audition for the lead role in _Aida_?" she singsonged.

"YOU! That is great news, Jill! I am so proud of you," he congratulated her.

"Thanks! The audition's this afternoon. I'm kinda nervous," she admitted.

"Don't be. You'll be fantastic," he assured her. "You should come over at the pub later. I'll feed you. It'll be our double celebration."

"You had me at 'I'll feed you'," she laughed.

"Hey, maybe once you're this huge Broadway star, you can finally move out of Murderville," he said.

"Don't start," she warned him.

"I'll even help you look for a place," he offered. "There's a loft in NoHo for $3,800, SoHo for only $3,200."

"That's still too much to pay for...any 'Ho'," she quipped.

"You can't live in Brooklyn forever," he said.

"Yeah, I'm hanging up now," she told him.

"Okay, okay!" he relented. "Knock 'em dead at the audition, my Little Bird!"

"Thanks. I love you," she answered sweetly.

"I love you too." he replied, before hanging up. He smiled. Jillian was the only person he'd ever said 'I love you' to.

Looking at this desk, he gathered his things. Among them were the paperworks certifying that 'Jackson Crow' was now the sole owner of the pub he had been working on for over a year. He was glad that his 'business partner' allowed him to buy her out. It felt great to see his name printed in those documents. Or at least, the name that he gave himself, after he couldn't remember his old one. Jackson Crow...a lot better than the 'John Smith' alias that the hospital gave him. Jackson Crow, business owner. It had a pretty nice ring to it.

He had worked his ass off as head chef of the pub, _The Broken Note_. Always the first one in and the last one out. He set a good example, and treated his employees well. And with their help, The Broken Note became one of the most popular pubs in the East Village. Over 1,265 bars, clubs, and lounges in New York City alone, and people chose to go to his pub. It does his heart proud.

Speaking of his heart, he turned to the counter and glanced at the pill bottles on top of it. As much as he wanted to quit taking them, the medication was the only thing keeping him alive. He sighed, before taking one pill from each bottle, and popping them into his mouth. He drank a tall glass of water, took one final glance in the mirror to fix himself, then turned and walked towards the door and went on his way to work.

* * *

Inside the train, he sat and waited until they reached his destination, which wasn't until after a couple more stops. He took the subway everyday to work. He liked to watch normal people in their day to day life. He had become a casual observer of human nature.

He looked around him, at the people going to work, some of them headed for school, the rest of them maybe even off to do something recreational. Today was just another normal day at the subway. Nothing out of the ordinary.

That is, until he glanced out the window. That was when he saw her. Her beauty struck him to a halt. She had long, naturally wavy brown hair, with a hint of blonde at he tips, like a river of melted chocolate mixed with caramel. Her face was flawless, like a porcelain doll, only with olive skin. But what had him in awe was her eyes. Such beautiful, but sad eyes. The saddest eyes he had ever seen in a woman. Eyes that know the pain of loss, and were no stranger to tears.

He wanted to run to her, to comfort her, although he had no idea why. As if his body was being drawn to her, like a magnet, he bolted out of the train before it left the station, like his life depended upon it. He weaved to through the crowd, trying his damn best not to lose her. She stopped walking, as she saw another man trying to get his attention.

"Elena," the tall, dark blonde man, right about the same age as him, had called her.

_Elena, _whispered Jackson. That was her name. He tried to call out her name, but no sound came out. Without warning, he clutched the left side of his chest. His heart was pounding at an abnormally fast rate. He started gasping for air, like a fish out of water.

_NO!_ he thought. He tried to calm himself down. Then, his heart rate began to drop at an abnormally slow rate. He staggered, as he started to lose his focus. And the woman he was chasing after slowly faded away from his sight. He could feel his body grow weaker. Maybe the crows were right that day.

_Please. Not yet. Don't take me just yet. Not now._ Those were his last thoughts, before he crumpled to the ground and lost his consciousness.

* * *

**~END OF CHAPTER TWO~**

* * *

**A/N** :

-So yeah, this chapter is mostly about Damon. (If that wasn't clear enough, then I probably should stop writing this story.) Any guesses on who 'Jill' is? What are your thoughts regarding the Delena missed encounter? If you're confused, don't worry. More will be revealed in later chapters.

-Song Suggestion : "Blackbird" by The Beatles.

-Shameless Promo : Looking for another fic to read? Please check out my other story (in progress), "What Dreams May Come".

-As usual, your thoughts and reviews are much appreciated. Thank you so much for reading.


	3. Chapter 3 -Unwritten

**A/N : **Many thanks for all the feedback regarding 'Jackson Crow'. In this chapter, we meet 'Jillian Nightingale'.

* * *

**CHAPTER THREE – Unwritten**

* * *

_Faber est suae quisque fortunae._

Every man (and woman) is the the artisan of their own fortune. Now, she has no idea where she had learned Latin, but she firmly believed this phrase. That every person is the architect of their own fate.

_I am a blank page of an unwritten story. I am the I am the artist of my own masterpiece. A blank canvas waiting to be painted. A clean slate. I can be whatever, whoever I want to be._

Waking up from a coma and finding out that you've lost every part of your past doesn't have to wreck you as a person. You can either remain stuck in a past the doesn't exist to you, or you can choose to move on with whatever that is left of your life. She chose the latter. To continue living without knowing who she was and where she came from was challenging and scary as hell. It was a good thing that she didn't have to do it all alone.

She was glad that she has Jackson Crow in her life. Jack is her best friend for only a couple of years, but feels like they've known each other from a whole 'nother lifetime. He was in the same ferry accident as she was a couple of years ago. They were both found floating in New York Harbor, unconscious, practically lifeless. No ID's, no memory, no family to claim them. They weren't in the registry of ferry passengers. Or in any other registry, for that matter. They found out later that they were in a coma for the same amount of time, and woke up at exactly the same time. They even went to the same support group for patients suffering psychogenic amnesia.

It didn't take long for them to become each other's family. They always felt the need to protect each other, and be each other's biggest fan. Jack was even the one who gave her the name, 'Jillian Nigthingale', because their names had to match, and he said that she sounded like a nightingale. She was more than fine with it. It was a move up from 'Jane Doe', the name given to her at the hospital after the incident.

She relished on playing the role of Jackson's BFF and little sister. She was also his constant defender against those who took advantage of him. The man had a big heart, and he is too damn nice for his own good. But between the two of them, Jack was the responsible and successful one. He was the one who worried about everything and everyone else. Maybe that was the reason why he has his heart condition. He has a tendency of taking everything way too seriously.

Not like she doesn't have her fair share of health problems. Not long after waking up from her coma, she was diagnosed with intracranial aneurysms. Multiple tiny blood balloons that scattered inside her skull. Doctors said it was inoperable...first opinion, second opinion, third opinion...they had all said the same thing. That they can manage it with the right drugs, but surgery was out of the question if she wanted to keep the full use of her eyes, since the some of the aneurysms were located dangerously close to her optic nerves. Not to mention that there's a high risk of her dying in the operating table. There's also a huge risk of her dying once the blood balloons burst. It's one of those 'Damned if you...Damned if you don't' dilemmas. Each options present a negative outcome for her. She's a woman without a past, and apparently living on borrowed time. But that doesn't mean that she can't have a future, for however short it might be. Because if she was indeed doomed, she only had two options in spending the remainder of her short life. She can either spend the time she has left dying, or living. She preferred to live...to live her life in her own terms, for however long it may be.

And lived, she did. She drank. She smoke. She partied. She broke hearts. She had her heart broken. She lived. She loved. She rocked the shit out of her life. And most of all, she dreamed. She dreamed until dreaming wasn't enough, she had to make it a reality. And in a move that can be deemed as a big middle finger salute to those who thought she should just curl up in a corner and die, she took a page out of Jack's book, and worked hard on making her dreams come true.

_I am the master of my own destiny._

So, here she was, a couple of years later, sitting at the hall of one of Broadway's prestigious audition centers, while she waited to be ushered into a studio of Equity producers and casting directors of a theatre company, as she edged closer to achieving her dreams. After two long years of failed auditions, and rejections and being in chorus line after chorus line that didn't showcase her full potential, she finally has the chance to prove to herself and to everyone else that she can make it as a Broadway lead.

_I'm no longer tied to who I was in the past. My past is a blank page, and I'm fine with that. I will not let fear hold me back from my future. Today is a new chapter of my life, and the rest is still waiting to be written._

Jillian had her eyes closed, as she kept silently repeating mantras of encouragement inside her head, while sucking on her lucky honey bear bottle that Jack gave her. It was good for her vocal chords, and even better for her pre-audition nerves. After a wait that felt like forever, one of the assistants finally called her name, and ushered her inside the studio.

She took a deep long breaths, and stood up. "You can do this, Jillian," she reassured herself. "You already got through the dance and the acting auditions. The singing part should be cake." She shook the nerves off, before walking into the room.

She stepped up front the producers and casting directors with a confident smile. She then handed her sheet music to the pianist, who was located at the side of the stage.

"My name is Jillian Nightingale, and today I will be performing 'The Past Is Another Land' from AIDA," she announced.

"In your own time, Miss Nightingale," the casting director told her.

After hearing this, she gave a nod at the pianist to inform him she was ready to begin the song. And with all her heart, she began to sing.

_"You know nothing about me and care even less_  
_How could you understand our emptiness_  
_You've plundered our wisdom, our knowledge, our wealth_  
_In bleeding us dry_  
_You long for our spirit_  
_But that you will never possess_

_The past is now another land_  
_Far beyond my reach_  
_Invaded by insidious_  
_Foreign bodies, foreign speech_  
_Where timeless joys of childhood_  
_Lie broken on the beach_

_The present is an empty space_  
_Between the good and bad_  
_A moment leading nowhere_  
_Too pointless to be sad_  
_But time enough to lay to waste_  
_Every certainty I had_

_The future is a barren world_  
_From which I can't return_  
_Both heartless and material_  
_Its wretched spoils not my concern_  
_Shining like an evil sun_  
_As my childhood treasures burn_  
_Shining like an evil sun_  
_As my childhood treasures burn"_

Once she was finished with the song, she took a small bow to the casting directors and producers, and thanked the pianist for his assistance, before she stepped off the stage.

* * *

As soon as she stepped outside the building, she immediately took her cellphone out. They weren't allowed to turn their phones on while inside the audition center, due to the distraction it provided. She proceeded to call Jack, but he didn't answer, and it went to his voicemail. She then checked her messages, and was surprised at one particular call.

_"Miss Jillian Nightingale? This is Nurse Victoria Reis from Mercy Medical Center. I'm sorry to inform you that Jackson Crow was brought in to the emergency room earlier this morning after he collapsed at the subway station. You're listed as his emergency contact and next of kin..."_

Jillian almost dropped her phone. The nurse's voice sent chills to her whole body, as she listened to the rest of the message. She looked at her watch. The message was from hours ago. She immediately dialed the hospital's number, but she was put on hold. She ran to the curb and hailed for a taxi. As one stopped nearby, she rushed to get inside, at the same time another person was trying to get in. She aggressively pushed her way into the cab, practically shoving the guy to the ground.

"Excuse you!" She dismissed the man and turned her attention to the driver. "Mercy Medical! Step on it!" she ordered.

As the taxi drove away, the young man that she pushed aside remained on the ground looking shocked.

"Bonnie?" he whispered. "BONNIE!" he yelled and ran after the moving vehicle, but he couldn't catch it, as it sped away.

* * *

**~END OF CHAPTER THREE~**

* * *

**A/N** :

-This is my version of what Bonnie would have been if she had no ties to supernatural world. I feel like we've been deprived of Kat Graham's voice, so I figured I'd write her character as a talented performer.

-'Jillian' was auditioning as the female lead of _AIDA_.

-Any guesses on who the guy was that recognized 'Jillian'?

-Song Suggestions : "The Past Is Another Land" from the musical, AIDA; "Unwritten" by Natasha Bedingfield

-Again, many thanks for taking time to read this. Your feedback is very much appreciated.


	4. Chapter 4 - Better Man

**A/N** : Many thanks to those who read, reviewed and faved the previous chapters. I'm really hoping that you like the story so far. And I'm glad of all the positive reactions I got regarding 'Jillian Nightingale'. You will be seeing 'Jack and Jill' in future chapters, but for now, I give you...

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**CHAPTER FOUR – Better Man**

* * *

Clutching his artist's portfolio under his arm, Jeremy Gilbert lit up a cigarette, while at the corner of the sidewalk in West 46th Street. He took deep breaths in between puffs, as he tried to calm his nerves. Today seemed to be one of those days when smoking was a necessity. One addiction to replace the half a dozen bad habits that he had managed to quit in the past. That's not so bad. It's not as if he smoked ten packs a day, mind you. He only did it when he's restless, or nervous. Today, he happens to both.

He impatiently looked at this watch. His friend was supposed to meet him there fifteen minutes ago. He closed his eyes and thanked the heavens that patience was presently one of his virtues, as he continued to wait. He happened to glance upon his reflection in the window of one of the buildings nearby. He barely recognized himself, clean-cut, freshly shaven, looking decent in a suit. He was at the end stage of his teenage years, and he really looked like an adult.

_How did I get here?_

He closed his eyes, as he recalled the bad old days back when he lived in Mystic Falls. Those times when he cursed every damn day of his existence, questioning the reason why he still had bothered to wake up and struggled to get out of bed every morning. Bonnie was dead. The woman he loved, the one who sacrificed her life to bring him back from the dead, was gone. His life was mess. It angered him that the sun had dared to continue to shine, and that the world had the audacity to still turn. It hardly seemed fair. He felt like he was back to square one...back to the time after his parents died. People he loved always ended up leaving him. Same story different verse.

He reverted back to being Jeremy, the rebel stoner...the same way he was during his emo phase, after the deaths of his mom and dad. He used to drive Elena insane, as she tried to keep him in check. Same, only different, because this time around, with most of his family either gone, or stuck outside of Mystic Falls, he had no one to give him any guidance. No Elena to lecture him. No Ric to give him parental advice. No Damon to bail him out of the principal's office. No Bonnie to keep him grounded. No one was around to keep him straight. The ones who didn't die, he just pushed out of his life. He was a rebel...a loser. He wanted to stay that way.

For a while, it was all booze, sex, drugs and parties, not necessarily in that order. He was one talent short from an 'Almost Famous' moment. Who was he kidding? He was no 'golden god'. But he could just as easily drink his weight in alcohol. Not just beer, but also the hard stuff You don't spend that much time with Damon Salvatore, and not learn a thing or two about drunken binges. Oh yeah...he was the life of the party, alright.

He also became more adventurous when it came to sex. He had a short-lived relationship with April Young, but he was just not ready to commit to any woman so soon after Bonnie. It was a bad breakup, with April accusing him that every woman he's ever had a relationship with, he loved them more AFTER they were dead. She said that she wasn't going to compete with ghosts from his past, not anymore. Then she high-tailed it out of town. Although...she could be right. Then again, she could also be crazy.

He did love Vicki, and Anna. He loved them when he was with them, and he loved them when they were gone, but he new that they both had used him in one way or form. Bonnie was different. She was special. She loved him without asking for anything in return. She had always put herself in harm's way in order to protect him or his family. Losing her almost crippled him.

After April, it was one random chick after another. He slept with a different arm candy from every party. He had fucked both Blair and Tina Fell...sometimes both of them at the same time, in several occasions. Who knew that the Fell women was a fan of kink? He had sex with different types of women...cheerleaders, geeks, MILFs, even goths. He didn't discriminate. Anything to distract him from his pain.

It wasn't long until the sex just didn't do it for him anymore. He needed another distraction. That was when the drugs came in. He graduated from weed, to Special K, and was even brave (or dumb) enough to try heroin. Now, THAT was a huge mistake. He knew that the minute his body immediately had an adverse reaction to it. He regretted it once he felt himself slowly fade away. He would have died right then and there, if it weren't for Matt Donovan.

He then realized something. As much bitching and moaning as he'd been doing this whole time, and as much fake bravado as he showed to everyone, while he acted like he didn't care what happened to him...he was afraid to die...again. He was scared shitless of dying...of not knowing where he'd end up afterward...of leaving Elena alone yet again.

After that incident, he took the steps to turn his life around. He flushed all the drugs down the toilet and threw all his paraphernalia away. He went to meetings, and visited his shrink regularly. He repaired his estranged relationship with both his sister and Ric. He studied harder, became a better student and eventually graduated high school. He even went to Whitmore College for a semester. He became a young man that his parents, and Bonnie, could be proud of. This new and improved Jeremy Gilbert astounded his family, friends, and most of all, his teachers. But no one was even more surprised at the changes, than he himself.

As it turned out, after all the pain he went through, after all the loss, he's still alive and kicking. The Universe can only break you if you allow it. As much as he wanted to kill himself after losing the people that he cared about, he found out that he'd much rather live in honor of their memory.

Much to the delight of Elena, he accepted a scholarship in New York Academy of Arts. He didn't expect her and Alaric to move to NYC with him, but he was glad that they came. They were the only family he had left, and after all that they've been through, they needed to stick together.

So there he was, in the city that never sleeps, with is life completely turned around, but in a good way. Nowadays, the only weed he would ever touch are the ones that need to be mowed, and the only Special K he took was of the cereal kind. And Heroine is the name of the main superhero in the comic book he created, Mistress of the Elements. Piss her off, and she will shove a lightning bolt up your ass. She has hazel eyes that glow when she's conjuring her powers from the elements. She looked like a Nubian goddess with her dark mocha-colored skin. There's no doubt who the inspiration was behind the character.

Which brings us back to the reason why he was standing at a sidewalk in one of the busy streets of New York City. John Paul Jones was a guy he met at Art History class, and they became friends quickly. He took notice of the drawings Jeremy did in his spare time, and told him that he could set up an appointment for him with a graphic novel executive that could help him publish his comic book. They were supposed to meet at the corner of West 46th Street, and then go to the appointment together, but John Paul was obviously running late.

His cellphone rang an jolt him out of his thoughts. It was John Paul. He put his cigarette out, before he answered.

"Hello, Jer?" John Paul said.

"Where the hell are you?" Jeremy asked impatiently. "I've been waiting here for almost half an hour!"

"Sorry, man! Something urgent came up. Slight change of plans. Just get to the venue, and I'll meet you there." John Paul explained. He gave Jeremy the address, before he hung up.

Jeremy scoffed and muttered curses, as he hailed for a taxi, and was about to get in, when he felt himself being pushed forcibly into the ground. He looked and was ready to rise up and beat the leaving daylights out of that person, when what, or who he saw, made him remain frozen to the curb. He couldn't even blink, afraid that she might go away once he opened his eyes again.

_This can't be true. _He couldn't believe his eyes.

"Excuse you!" she said in a voice filled with scorn and ridicule, before she immediately dismissed his presence, and then quickly stole his cab.

_She's real. SHE'S REAL!_ His thoughts ran a hundred miles a minute...his heart beat even faster. He heard her voice talk to him. He felt her hand push him to the ground.

_She's here. She's really here! I didn't just imagine her this time._ This wasn't an illusion brought on by grief this time, nor was it a drug-induced hallucination. _ What the hell is my stupid ass still doing sitting on the ground? _Finding his wits and some strength, he finally stood up.

"Bonnie?" he whispered at first, surprised at the weird noise that was his voice. "BONNIE!" he screamed his lungs out, as ran after the cab, as he ignored everything and everyone else on the busy street of New York City.

He ran and ran and ran, all the while, screaming Bonnie's name, but the cab was just a little too fast for him to catch up to. He finally stopped once he started to run out of breath. Panic set in, as all the worries and the unanswered questions filled his head.

_I have to find her! I have to know! Where has she been all this time? Where is she going now? Please God, let me find her!_

* * *

**~END OF CHAPTER FOUR~**

* * *

**A/N** :

* * *

-Song Suggestion : Better Man by Pearl Jam

-I was surprised when I read this chapter after I was done writing it. It's my first time writing in Jeremy's POV, and I wasn't really sure that I could capture his voice properly, but I was pleased with the finished product. I hope you liked how I wrote Jeremy's journey for the past couple of years, from rebel stoner, to a better man.

-If you haven't seen the movie "Almost Famous", I highly recommend that you watch it. It's probably the best film made by Cameron Crowe, and arguably Kate Hudson's best performance. Then you'd understand the 'Almost Famous' moment, and 'golden god' reference.

-Again, many thanks for taking time to read this story. I really appreciate any feedback from the readers, so please click on the REVIEW button.


	5. Chapter 5 - No Surprises

**A/N** : Many thanks to all the readers of this story. Apologies for the wait. Now, while reading this chapter, keep in mind that Jillian is Bonnie and Jackson is Damon, and Jack & Jill are Bamon.

* * *

**CHAPTER FIVE : No Surprises**

* * *

**MERCY MEDICAL CENTER**

"He's resting inside. He's still in and out of consciousness. Dr. Bell will be with you shortly."

'_Jillian_' was jarred out of her thoughts, then raised her head to look at the woman in front of her. Nurse Wendy Goldman, it said on her name tag. _She must be new._ Jillian was familiar with every nurse of every floor on every shift of Mercy Medical Center, and this was the first time she had seen this one. She nodded her thanks, as the nurse ushered her inside the room.

The sight that greeted her sent fear to every bone in her body. There he was, her best friend, lying unconscious on the hospital bed. His pale features looking frail, his body connected to tubes and lines that were attached to apparatuses and equipment that monitored everything, from his breathing, to his pulse, right down to his heart activity. This was a sight she had seen way too many times, and yet she still had not gotten used to it.

She thinks of herself as a fairly strong woman. In her short time in New York City, she had lived through failed auditions, numerous rejections, sexual advances from directors, a violent ex-boyfriend, and two attempted muggings, and she managed to walk away unscathed. But nothing fazes her more than seeing Jackson in pain. She moved closer to the bed, tears slipping from her eyes, as she brushed strands of hair away from his face.

"I'm not even dead yet, and you're already crying," '_Jackson_' whispered, as he fluttered his eyes open. "At least save some tears for my funeral," he said, as his hands tried to remove his nasal cannula.

"Shhhh..."she silenced his failed attempt of a joke. "And keep that on," she ordered him.

"I'm okay, Jill," he reassured his best friend.

"Yeah, sure...'cause all that crap you're attached to just screams 'okay'," she scoffed. "Just...lay back down and rest," she said, as her fingers continued to massage his scalp.

"I'm so sorry for the hassle. I know you were busy today-" he apologized softly.

"Oh, shush!" she interrupted him. "You know damn well that you're more important to me than any lead role on Broadway," she told him in a scolding tone.

"How did the audition go?" he asked her in a weakened voice.

"Made it to the final round," she informed him. "One more audition to go. Next one's sort of a chemistry test between the potential lead actresses with the prospective lead actors."

"You'll ace that one too," he assured her with a smile.

"It's not the audition that I'm worried about," she said, giving him a pointed look. "What happened?"

"Oh...it's nothing. I'm pretty sure it's just heartburn," he answered casually.

"Liar..." she said. "Tell me the truth," she told him.

"I was inside the train, on my way to the pub to let the staff know about the good news regarding Jessy," he began. "But then, I saw her," he said while he struggled to breath.

"Who?" she asked curiously.

"I don't know her...but I know her," he continued in between breaths.

"Jack...you're not making sense," she worriedly said to him.

"I don't know...I saw her...I ran out of the train to go after her..." his voice trailed off.

"So, you had a heart attack chasing after some woman?" she pressed.

"No..." he replied, getting agitated. "It's not like that. I saw her. She's so beautiful, but she looked incredibly sad. And I thought that if she smiled, she'd be even more beautiful," he ranted. "Elena..." he said in a tone so gentle, it was barely a whisper. "He called her 'Elena'..."

"Who called her 'Elena'"? she asked.

"That man she was with," he answered.

Jillian stared sympathetically at her friend. "She has a boyfriend," she surmised.

"Yes...no...I don't know," he replied confusedly. "All I knew at that moment that I saw her is that I had to meet her. So I followed her...until my damn heart decided to give out on me," he said frustratedly. "But damn, Jill...the way my heart beat madly the first time I laid eyes on her..."

"Jack..." she said, as she laced her hand with his.

"Don't give me that look," he told her irritatedly. "I felt the connection between us. She's the only person, save you, that I've ever felt connected to. And I know you think that this is another lame attempt to figure out our past, but-" he was interrupted when one of the machines started beeping.

"Hey...relax," she tried to calm him down.

"You think I'm crazy," he said, still slightly stressed.

"Why? Because you saw a girl that you liked, and you tried to go after her? Puhlease...that is such a NORMAL reaction for a guy," she scoffed, trying to make light of the situation. "Take it from someone who's an expert on crazy behavior."

Jackson looked at Jillian worriedly. "Are the voices back?" he asked. "Why didn't you tell me? You wanna go see Dr. Maguire while we're here at the hospital?"

She cringed at the mention of her psychiatrist's name. "Don't make this about me. I'm fine. I can handle Ernestine, Amelia, Pauline and Joanna," she smiled weakly as she named the voices inside her head. When she noticed the worried look on Jackson's face, she tried to calm him down. "Seriously...my meds can manage the voices if I take them regularly, which I do. Don't worry, I'm not about to go on a killing spree. You won't find chopped up body parts in the trunk of my car," she assured him.

"You don't have a car," he pointed out.

"You know what I mean!" she said.

"Hardly ever," he replied jokingly.

"Can we go back to your story now? You were talking about 'ELENA'," she emphasized on the name, as she urged him to continue.

He paused for a while, allowing the smile to slowly spread on his face. "You know that feeling...as if there's an automatic pull between two people? Like there's a magnet drawing you to that other person..."

"You're horny. I get it." she rolled her eyes. "There's this place called 'The Bunny Ranch' back in Brooklyn. I'll bring you there when you're all better. They'll take care of your little problem." she joked.

"The only time I have a use for a 'bunny' is when I'm cooking lapin," he mouthed off.

They continued to sass each other teasingly back and forth, when they were interrupted by a knock on the door, shortly followed by the entry of a woman in a lab coat inside the room.

"What's up, Doc?" Jack jokingly asked Dr. Dawn Bell, his cardiologist since he was diagnosed with his heart condition.

The female doctor nodded at Jill and smiled weakly. "I have your test results," she announced.

Jill straightened up, noticing the serious look at Dr. Bell's face. "Is it bad?" she asked.

"Lay it on me, Doc," Jack told her.

"Miss Nightingale-" Dr. Bell began.

"Please, Dr. Bell...we've known each other for two years. I think it's safe to call me by my first name now." Jill said to her.

"Jillian..." Dr. Bell smiled. "Has there been any added stress to Jackson's routine lately?" she asked.

"HE is right here," Jackson reminded them. "And he would gladly appreciate it if you asked him yourself." he added. "And to answer your question...no, my daily routine has been the same as it has been for quite some time."

Dr. Bell shook her head worriedly. "I'm not going to lie to you. Your attack today was a lot worse than your previous ones. I think it's time we explore other options aside from upping the dosage of your medication," she tried to convince her patient.

Jackson looked up to meet his best friend's eyes. "Can you give us a moment, Jill?" he asked, squeezing her hand in an assuring manner.

"No, Jack-" Jillian tried to argue.

"I'll be fine. I just need some 'girl talk' with Dr. Bell," he assured her with a wink. "Go on...flirt with McDreamy or McSteamy or something. Or pay Dr. Maguire a visit. This won't take long."

"Okay...I'll be right outside," Jillian replied worriedly, as she reluctantly stepped out of Jackson's room, leaving him to talk to his cardiologist in private.

* * *

**HAWK AND DOVE BISTRO**

"Jeremy-" Elena said to her brother.

"No, Elena, just please...hear me out," Jeremy pleaded with his sister.

Alaric stared back and forth at the two siblings, about to step in to play referee. "Guys...can we keep it down? People are starting to stare," he scolded the two, as he looked around at the other patrons inside the bistro that they were in.

Ric and Elena were having brunch earlier, when Jeremy, who was supposed to be in a meeting with graphic novel executive, suddenly walked in, ranting about how he saw Bonnie...or a woman who looked exactly like Bonnie.

"Jer, it's not that I don't believe you," Elena told him in a worried tone. "I know that you believe, with all your heart, that it was Bonnie that you saw earlier...but what you're saying...it's just not possible."

"Elena...Bonnie managed to bring us all back from the dead. Don't you think that there's an even the slightest possibility, that between her and Damon, they would've found a way to come back before The Other Side collapsed?" Jeremy asked irritatedly.

Elena shook her head vigorously. "No! Look, it's been two years, Jer. I thought we all agreed that we need to let go and move on?" she said, then glanced imploringly at Alaric to back her up. "Ric, please..."

Ric raised both of his hands and spoke. "I'm not taking anyone's side on this one. We just need to calm ourselves down and discuss this-"

"There will be NO discussion! There's nothing to discuss," Elena refused.

"Have you really given up on them completely, that you wouldn't even allow yourself to have the tiniest bit hope?" Jeremy asked his sister accusingly.

Elena shook her head, as she looked at her little brother incredulously. "No. I will not have this conversation with you again," she told him. "I'm sorry, Jer..." she apologized before gathering her purse and standing up abruptly, then hurriedly walked away from them, stepping out of the bistro.

* * *

**MERCY MEDICAL CENTER**

'Jillian' walked inside Jackson's hospital room, only to find him out of his hospital gown and in his casual clothes. He was still a little bit slow on his movements and had difficulty with breathing, but he was upright and out of his bed

"What the hell happened?" she asked. "I stepped out for a moment to get a candy bar from the vending machine, and here you are getting out of bed..."

"Your friend has opted to check himself out of here against my medical advice. I was hoping that you can convince him otherwise," Dr. Bell informed her.

"Jack!" Jillian protested.

"I'm fine," he insisted. "I just need some rest. I can get plenty of that at home," he told them as he signed the waivers.

Then there was a knock on the door. "Your carriage awaits, sir," said the male nurse they recognized as Frank, with a wheelchair in tow.

"I can walk, Frank..." Jackson told him, as he collected his personal effects.

"No way. You know the rules, kid. You don't get out of this place unless I personally wheel you out," Frank reminded him.

"Fine," Jackson relented. "Anything to get out of here."

Jackson was wheeled out of the room, out of the hospital, and into the taxi that he shared with Jillian. Jillian gave the driver the address to Jackson's apartment, but Jack canceled the request, and gave the driver directions to the pub instead.

"You're supposed to be resting," Jillian reminded him.

"I will be. I just need to give instructions to the staff. Then, I'll get some rest, I promise," Jackson replied, avoiding her eyes.

"God! You're so stubborn! I ever tell you that you're the reason why I drink?" she asked, shaking her head in frustration.

The rest of the cab ride was spent in silence, with Jillian sparing occasional glances at her best friend, just to make sure that he was fine. The entire time, Jack just merely stared out the window, in deep thought. Once they arrived at the pub, he told Jillian to stay at the cab, and instructed the driver to keep the engine running.

"I won't be long, I swear," he said to her, before hurriedly walking towards the backdoor entrance, leaving Jillian in a huff.

* * *

**INSIDE THE BROKEN NOTE PUB**

"Good afternoon, Boss," Jackson was greeted by all of the staff members he ran into.

He made his way out of the kitchen, and into his office, where he secured the pub's transfer of ownership documents inside the safe. He was about to go back into the kitchen to speak to his crew, when he ran into Carlos, one of his chefs and a trusted friend.

"Boss! What are you doing here?" Carlos asked worriedly. "Jillian briefed us about what happened earlier. Aren't you supposed to be resting?

"Jillian has a big mouth," Jack replied jokingly. "Well, I had to make sure that you haven't burned MY pub to the ground." he said.

"We survived the lunch rush-" Carlos began to tell him. "Wait...did you just say YOUR pub?" the chef asked excitedly.

"Yep." Jack answered. "I'm calling an emergency senior staff meeting in office in five minutes. Tell everyone."

Once the staff was gathered in his office, he cleared his throat and started the meeting.

"Alright, let's keep this brief. I left Jillian back at the cab, and she's probably ready to kill me," he began, while the rest of staff laughed. "First of all, I would like to announce that you are now looking at the sole owner of 'The Broken Note'," he informed the staff, which was met with joyful reaction. "I bought out all of Jessy's share, and she's no longer associated with the management of the pub," he added, followed by the applause of the staff.

"You mean, 'The 'Barracuda' is no more? T_rès, très désolé_," said Moon, the assistant manager, as she mimicked Jessy's pompous tone.

"Désolé, my ass! You're not désolé at all," Carlos chimed in.

"You're right, I'm not," Moon replied nonchalantly.

"I'm just glad she's out of our hair." the head waiter said.

"Let's look at it this way...you did her an enormous favor, Boss," Moon told Jackson. "Now, she can go back to partying with the Kardashians."

Jackson shook his head. Jessy was never a popular person around the pub. She was friends with Jack, and became co-owner because of her family's money. But she had made no attempts to get along with any of the staff. Instead, she treated them like they were beneath her level. She only showed up there in some attempt to win Jackson over. It was Jack who did the lion's share of the work load. She had no idea how to run the business competently, booking bands that was never in the pub's style, or modifying menus to suit her upper crust taste. It came to no surprise to Jack that the whole staff rejoiced at the news of her departure.

"Alright, alright," Jack tried to revert the attention back to him. "Moving on...in light of recent developments, I'll be taking on most of the responsibilities as owner. Now, we all know that this is just a formality, but I'm happy to officially announce that Carlos Ramos will now be the head chef, while Moon Young is the pub's new manager." The news was met with even louder applause, congratulating the two newly promoted staff members.

"Finally, as you all know, there are random health inspections going on in Midtown. I'm sure the health inspector will be popping by soon. I've made a list of things that need to be done to make sure that we meet all standards and exceed expectations. We don't want to be shut down because of health code violations," he said, as he passed around the checklist. Not long after that, he concluded the meeting, and the senoir staff went back to their posts.

"Okay, Boss..." Carlos caught his attention. "Now that the meeting's over, you can go home," he told Jack worriedly.

"Just one more thing," Jackson replied, as he turned to face Moon. "I did the alcohol inventory last night," he informed her. "I already made the order list, you just have to send it to the supplier," he added as they head towards the bar.

*Jackson went behind the counter and bent down to reach underneath the register just to get to the order list. It took him a moment to get to the list, the fatigue creeping back into his body, that even the smallest of tasks tires him out.

"Go home and get some rest, Boss." Moon said worriedly. "We'll get by without you for one day," she assured him.

"Okay," Jackson relented. "But call me if you need me," he told her. With her assurance, Jackson finally left the pub, and went back to the cab where he left Jillian.

* * *

**OUTSIDE THE BROKEN NOTE PUB**

_No surprises. Was that too much to ask?_

Elena muttered to no one in particular, as she wandered aimlessly around Midtown. She had been doing so well until her argument with Jeremy earlier. It caught her blindsided, so she decided to walk off her frustrations. She glanced up and realized where she was. Her feet just sort of guided her there, like she had done many times before. She had once again found herself standing outside "The Broken Note", without knowing the reason why. Then it all came back to her.

She had no idea why her brain couldn't make the connection until now. This pub used to be "Billy's", the bar that used to be owned by Will, one of Damon's acquaintances back in the 70's, when his humanity was still turned off. She remembered that Damon brought her there when he took her to New York City, on the way to look for Katherine and the cure, while her humanity switch was off to avoid the pain brought on by Jeremy's death.

She was surprised when she heard a loud caw, and then glanced up to see a crow perched on the streetlight. The black bird suddenly flew towards the pub's window, and tapped its beak against the glass, as if trying to show her something. *She peaked inside and her blood ran cold. Right there, inside the pub, behind the bar, stood Damon Salvatore. But then, she blinked...and he was gone once she opened her eyes.

_Great. Now YOU are imagining things. That's just awesome, Elena. You have Jeremy to thank for this. _She lowered her gaze, and began to walk away.

Elena shook her head disbelievingly. She had been down this road before. She used to imagine that Damon came back to her, like he promised. She used to dream that Damon had never left her. And when the dreams stopped, she found a way to get her hands on some drugs that induced hallucinations of him back into her mind. She can't fall back into that habit. She won't let her sanity suffer again. To this day, thoughts of Damon's demise, of the the man she loved the most, still made her sad. But she treasured the handful of memories she had of him. She had learned to live with her loneliness.

_Sad...it's happy for deep people. _She fought back the tears that threatened to fall from her eyes, and then turned around to find Ric and Jeremy.

* * *

**THE CAB RIDE HOME**

"Finally! I just broke the world record in Fruit Ninja while waiting for you!" Jillian scoffed. "How did they take the news?" she asked him.

"There was much rejoicing," Jackson informed her, as he got inside the taxi, and instructed the driver where to drop them off. Silence followed after that.

"You seem awfully quiet," Jill noticed.

"Just have a lot of things in my mind," Jack replied tepidly.

"What did Dr. Bell tell you?" she asked curiously.

"You know...the usual." he answered.

"Jack-" she said before he interrupted her.

"Can we please just let this go, for now?" Jack pleaded.

Jillian nodded with a sigh. "You know...you shouldn't stop being optimistic," she said. "You still have to meet your girl, remember? The one who made your heart beat so wildly, that it almost jumped out of your chest," she reminded him.

"The same girl who made my heart stop," Jackson pointed out. "I think that's a huge sign, don't you?"

"Since when did you become a firm believer of signs?" she asked him, seemingly perturbed.

"Since all the signs lead to 'unhappily ever after'." he replied. "You know, you should start learning how to run the pub. When I'm gone-"

"Shhh...don't say it. I'm not ready," she told him sorrowfully.

"You'll be fine," he assured her. "You've always been way better at 'life' than I ever was."

"Shhh...just...don't. I don't wanna hear that kind of talk." she hushed him.

They spent the rest of the cab ride in silent melancholy.

* * *

**~END OF CHAPTER FIVE~**

* * *

**A/N** :

*So yeah, 'Jack' and 'Jill' are both ill. Damon came back with a 'broken heart', while Bonnie came back with a 'broken mind'. (I know that some of you guys may not be fans of weak human versions of Damon and Bonnie, but give it a chance.) Am I really cruel enough to bring Bamon back, only to kill them off? Or will they soon be miraculously cured by the love of Elena and Jeremy?

*Ernestine, Amelia, Pauline and Joanna...the voices inside Jillian's head...any guesses?

*There's a Jessy in Jack's (Damon's) life...you'll meet her soon. I have a feeling that Elena won't like her. You probably won't either.

*Elena did SEE Damon, only he ducked underneath the counter to get the order list, and when she opened her eyes, he was gone. So she just chalked it up as an imagination. I know this will frustrate the hell out of everybody, but I can't just knock their heads together and then BOOM, happily ever after. Their journey back to each other won't be an easy one.

*Sad. It's happy for deep people. Points to whoever knows where this reference came from.

*Song Suggestion : No Surprises by Radiohead

*Again, many thanks to my readers. I hope you liked this update. Please let me know what you think by hitting the REVIEW button.


	6. Chapter 6 - Tainted Love

**A/N** : Many thanks to all who haven't lost interest in this story yet. As much as I wish I could update my stories more often, I'm afraid that life and works gets in the way. I really do appreciate those of you who faithfully read my fanfics. I hope you understand, I can write longer chapters only when I have time, and shorter chapters when I'm on a rush. Alright, on with the story. In this chapter, we meet 'Jessy'. I'm bracing myself for the violent reactions. See you at the end of the chapter.

* * *

**CHAPTER SIX – Tainted Love**

* * *

Elena weaved her way through the small crowd of people, with Alaric not far behind her, talking to someone on his phone. They had just got out of the subway, Ric coming from work, and her from the university. It was all part of their daily routine. They go to the subway together, take separate trains to their destinations, and meet back at the subway station later during the day after classes, before they either head home or dine out. Jeremy usually joined them, but the younger Gilbert was still in school at the moment, busy preparing for an upcoming art exhibit.

Elena busied her eyes as she strolled around Central Park, waiting for Ric to finish with his phone call. This was her favorite time of the day in New York City. That time in between late in the afternoon and early in the evening when the park is filled with young people who just came from school, mixed with the professionals who just got off from work. You'd see the occasional couples in the park, holding each other's hands while walking, most probably on their way on a dinner date.

She turned around, shaken from her musings, when she felt someone tapped her on the back. It was a woman, in her forties, dressed in a colorful, long, flowing dress, and a matching scarf wrapped around her head, looking at her intently.

"Madame Sabrina...Soothsayer Extraordinaire, at your service, " the woman introduced herself, her hands flailing dramatically in the air.

"Sorry, not interested," Elena replied.

"I can tell your fortune, young lady. The future predicted. Your life foretold." Madame Sabrina offered.

"No, thank you," Elena refused. She started to turn away from the woman, but Madame Sabrina stopped her again.

"Don't you want to know if you're going to be happy?" the woman asked.

"I'm happy right now, thanks," Elena told her.

"You got chestnut hair. The reading's free for chestnut-haired girls," Madame Sabrina insisted.

"Okay, fine," Elena finally agreed.

Madame Sabrina led her to one of the nearest benches, and motioned for Elena's hands. Elena held out her hands, palms up, and the soothsayer traced the patterns on her palms.

"Oh...fascinating." Madame Sabrina smiled and looked into Elena's eyes. "I can see a man. The most remarkable man. You will meet the great true love of your life very soon," the woman informed Elena.

"Uhm...no, I don't think so," Elena replied. "I've already met the great true love of my life," she corrected Madame Sabrina. She tried to pull her hands away, but the woman grabbed her by the wrists, and held on tightly.

"Returning...returning...returning," Madame Sabrina whispered eerily, as she started to shake as if she was having a seizure, her eyes suddenly turned all white. "They are slowly returning...from the darkness...and the void...and the light...and the blood. Always returning...returning to this world...what once was lost...and HE is returning, and they are returning, but too late. Too late. Far too late. They have returned. It has begun. Death is only the beginning." Madame Sabrina repeatedly ranted on and on.

Elena managed to retrieve her hands, and Madame Sabrina's eyes returned to their normal color. The woman fell from the bench, as she pointed and stared at Elena in horror, before she hurriedly got up and ran away, leaving Elena in stunned curiosity. She was about to go after Madame Sabrina, when Alaric suddenly appeared by her side.

"Everything alright?" Ric asked.

"Uhm...yeah," Elena replied hesitantly. "Yeah, everything's fine. It's just that, there was this woman...she said something odd."

"New York City, this place is filled with wierdos," Ric told her. "You ready to go?"

"Yeah...yeah," Elena answered, her mind still at what Madame Sabrina said.

"You mind if we get something to eat before we head home?" Ric asked her.

"Let me guess...Margherita pizza, right?" Elena said with a light-hearted laugh.

"It's for Jeremy," Ric insisted.

"Sure, but admit it...it's your favorite too," she teased the older vampire.

Ric was silent for a while, then he raised his head and smiled. "I brought your mother, Isobel, here many years ago. They said that for the first anniversary, you're supposed to give paper gifts, so I got her plane tickets to New York City. We had Margherita pizza and some red wine for dinner at _Kesté," Ric told her, his smile growing wider at the memory. "It wasn't the most extravagant celebration, but it's one of the happiest memories I treasured, back when we were young and in love."_

_Elena stared at Ric in disbelief. This exceptional man was one of the very few loved-ones she had left, acting as both caring guardian and loyal friend. She couldn't believe how fortunate she and Jeremy was to still have Ric by their side, even though the man could just as easily have walked away from their cursed family a long time ago._

_"I'm sorry," she told Ric._

_"For what?" Ric asked, with his brows furrowed._

_"I'm sorry that you got stuck with us for a family," Elena apologized again._

_"Are you kidding me? It's been my honor to be considered as your family," he told her. "Without you and Jeremy in my life, I don't know what I'd be like. Most likely bar-hopping all night, every night, drinking my weight in whiskey. You two saved me from all that," he added._

_"I just feel like you got the short end of the stick, doing this out of misplaced devotion to my dead biological mother's memory, or because of your love for my Aunt Jenna, and..." Elena lowered her head. "...Taking care of the children because Damon's not here to do it."_

"You're wrong, Elena. I'm not doing this out of obligation to the dead. I'm doing this because taking care of you and Jeremy gives my life purpose," Ric replied.

"You know that Jeremy and I are old enough to be on our own, right? So, if ever you get tired of us and you feel like you have to leave-" Elena began to tell him.

"Nope," Ric interrupted. "Can't get rid of me that easily. You young ones are stuck with me for all eternity," he chuckled. "Now, how about that pizza?"

Elena hesitated at first, before she answered. "You mind getting the food, while I wait here?" she asked Ric. "I just wanna hang around the park for a little bit longer before we head home."

"You sure?" Ric pressed.

"Yeah, I'll be alright," Elena replied.

"You need anything?" Ric asked her.

"No, I'm good," Elena answered.

She watched Ric's retreating form, and once he was gone, she turned her attention back to the park. She slowly strolled down the Bethesda Terrace, heading towards the 'Angel of the Waters' fountain. She stopped in front of the fountain's pool, as she stared into the water.

_Little tip...vampires HATE to swim. _ Damon's voice echoed inside Elena's head.

She took a deep breath that her body didn't need, her heart both delighted and saddened by the memory. Her mind has been filled with thoughts of Damon lately. A lot of times, she imagined seeing him in places, only to find that he disappeared after she blinked. It made her miss him a lot more than usual. It made her heart ache some more, still longing for the love that she lost.

With a sigh, she reached into her pocket, and took out a silver dollar coin. She closed her eyes and whispered. "I hope for the day when my heart will finally heal," she made a wish, before kissing the coin, and then tossing it into the fountain.

Elena opened her eyes again, and she was about to turn back and look for Alaric, when what she saw shook her to her core. There he was, not too far away from her, riding on a bicycle, was Damon Salvatore. He had a smile on his face, but he wasn't looking at her. And then, she blinked, and he was gone again once she opened her eyes.

_Don't blink! Why the hell do you always have to blink?_ Elena chastised herself inwardly. You would think she would have learned that lesson by now.

In a panic, she hurriedly ran towards the direction that Damon went, but she didn't see him. She began to roam around trying to find him. Pretty soon, she was flashing everywhere at vampire speed. The crowd would have surely noticed, if not for the sudden weather change. The surroundings darkened as the skies suddenly opened up with thunder and lightning, and soon after, the rain started to pour heavily, sending people scampering away for cover.

"Damon! Damon!" Elena cried, screaming his name at the nearly-empty park. She continued her search for him, but she couldn't find him.

"Elena!" She heard a familiar voice call her name, as she felt strong hands grabbed her by the waist from behind.

"No, Ric! Let me go! Damon!" she screamed louder, her tears mixing with the rain. "I can't lose him again, Ric! Damon!" she sobbed hysterically as she struggled against Ric's hold.

"I can't lose him again," she repeated over and over, as she crumpled down to the ground, Ric along with her.

"Shhh...it's okay, sweetheart. I got you," Ric comforted her, as he cradled her into his arms.

"I think I'm going insane, Ric," Elena confessed, whimpering, while they both sat there in the grounds of an empty park, as the cold rain drenched them both.

* * *

_Jackson_ smiled, as he passed by the park. He was having a very good day. It's been over a week since his last attack, and he felt great. He stopped once he reached his destination, the front steps of the Our Lady of Mercy orphanage. He usually takes a cab there, but tonight, he rides his bike from time to time, when his health allows it. He figured his body could use the exercise. His smile grew when he was greeted at the door by a nun.

"Good evening, Sister Cate," Jackson greeted her, as he began to unload bags from his bike, just in time before the storm started.

"Good evening, Jackson," Sister Cate smile in return, as she ushered him inside. "Your timing is impeccable. Fr. Fitz and the children just finished choir practice. They should be headed down here pretty soon."

Fr. Fitzpatrick James Cavanaugh, or Fr. Fitz to those who knew him, was the priest who Jackson had come to know as his friend. Sister Caitlin Lambert, or Sister Cate, was his assistant. Together, they ran the Our Lady of Mercy orphanage, a shelter for abandoned young orphans. Jackson discovered the place a while back, during a dark period in his life, when he has lost all hope of getting better. He was on his way home, coming from the park, and was greeted by the angelic voices of the children, singing inside the chapel beside the orphanage. He entered the chapel, and listened to the choir, and their tiny voices gave him renewed hope. Since then, Jackson devoted some of his free time helping them out.

"Jackson, my boy!" Fr. Fitz tenor voice bounced around the walls of the place, as he held the young man in a firm hug. The slightly chubby priest, with his silver hair and round, red cheeks, reminded Jackson of a beardless Santa Claus.

"Fr. Fitz, I'm here, as promised," Jackson greeted him, as the children, one by one, appeared behind the priest.

"We were worried for you," Fr. Fitz told him. "We've heard about your recent attack. Are you sure that you're feeling well now?" the priest asked worriedly.

"Yes, Father, all better," Jackson replied. He turned his attention to the little children. "Guess what I brought you guys for Friday night dinner? Your favorites...fried chicken, mozzarella sticks, potato wedges and sweet rolls," he announced, much to the delight of the children.

"You spoil them, you know?" Sister Cate pointed out.

"Who else is going to?" Damon replied, as he was surrounded by cheerful little kids.

"Alright, children! Dinner starts soon. You better go wash up," Sister Cate reminded them. She turned to Jackson and smiled. "I'll put another plate for you."

"No, Sister Cate, don't bother," Jackson replied.

"You're not staying?" Fr. Fitz inquired.

"I'm afraid not, Father," Jackson replied.

"The children would be disappointed," Sister Cate frowned. "They've missed your stories and your magic tricks."

"Maybe next time, Sister," Jackson told her. "It's a busy night back at the pub, and we're a bit short-handed. I just dropped by to deliver the food. I'm lucky, it didn't get soaked by the rain."

"What? You have to leave now? Can't you at least wait for the storm to pass?" the priest asked Jackson.

"A little fall of rain can hardly hurt me now, Father?" Jackson answered.

"I'll walk you out." Fr. Fitz offered, as they both sauntered towards the door, making their exit.

Jackson headed towards his bike, stopping in front of the chapel that had been falling to pieces for quite a while, due to lack of funds. He looked at Fr. Fitz and spoke in a hopeful voice. "You know, Father...business has been fairly decent lately. If this keeps up, I might have some money to spare for the repairs of the chapel," he informed the priest.

Fr. Fitz shook his head and smiled at Jackson. "Your heart is too good to be suffering from a heart ailment," he told the young man. "People like you are very rare. I always pray that you be blessed with better health, so that we can keep you on this Earth for a lot longer."

"From your mouth to God's ears, Father," Jackson replied with a soft laugh, before getting on his bicycle, and slowly riding away.

* * *

Elena laid on the sofa, once they finally arrived at the Brownstone townhouse in Upper West Side they liked to call home. She was so tired, too wiped out to even go to her own room to rest. Her hallucination of Damon was a weary end to an already very exhausting day. It had been a draining experience for her, both emotionally and physically. She just wanted to close her eyes, and sleep for a month.

"You hungry?" Ric asked, jarring her out of her thoughts. "I believe we have some pizza soup," he offered jokingly, reminding her of her little breakdown back at the park, in the middle of the pouring rain.

"No, thanks. I'm good," she whispered softly.

"Elena," Alaric said, as he sat down beside her, handing her a warm mug of blood. "I know that I must sound like a broken record, but I'll say it again. You're allowed to miss him from time to time. You can't deny yourself that. Don't pretend that you're okay, when you're really not. But don't drown yourself in memories of him," he advised the younger vampire.

"It just comes to me in surges, now more often than before," Elena revealed. "One moment, I'm alright, and the next you know, I'm a sobbing mess."

"You can always talk to me," Ric told her. "I'm always here for you and Jeremy," he added. "Speaking of which, where is your brother?" he asked.

"I don't know," she replied. "He said he was going to work on his exhibit entries, but it's getting pretty late. He should have called by now," she wondered. She was interrupted when Ric's cellphone rang. "That's probably him," she said to Ric.

Ric looked at the number, but it wasn't Jeremy. "It's John Paul," he informed Elena, before answering the phone. "Hello?"

Elena focused her vampire hearing on their phone conversation.

"_Hello, Mr Saltzman? It's me...John Paul, Jeremy's friend,_" the young man's voice said nervously. _"I'm calling from Mercy Medical Center. There's been an accident. Jeremy's been brought to the emergency room,"_ he announced in a panicked tone.

Alaric and Elena were both out the door before the phone call ended.

* * *

Jackson scrubbed his hands all over his face, and then ran his fingers through his hair. As predicted, it was a very hectic night at the pub, and he was dead tired. The kitchen already closed at 11:00pm, but it was a Friday night, and the bar was usually open till 2:00am. When he was sure that the staff had it handled, he finally headed to his office, hoping to finish the paperworks, so that he can get out of there and head home.

He was stunned to see the surprise waiting for him inside his office. Sitting on his chair, posed seductively, was his friend and former business partner, Jessalyn D'Aubigne. She sashayed towards him, closed the door behind him.

Jessalyn, Jessy to her friends, pushed him towards the couch. "You told me that we were going to celebrate once the transfer of ownership was done. That was weeks ago," Jessy reminded him, before turning back towards his desk.

"I'm sorry. It's been pretty hectic around here lately, Jessy," he apologized.

Jackson watched, as she took her coat off, revealing a very sexy lingerie outfit. Jessy was a very attractive woman, with her scarlet red hair, emerald green eyes, porcelain-like skin, ruby red lips, her curvy body, and her legs that go on for days. Any man would be lucky to have her. Jackson just wasn't interested in having a relationship with the rich socialite, at least, nothing more than friendship.

"Jess...what is this?" Jackson asked her, as he tried to get up from the couch.

"Shhh...we're celebrating. You promised a celebration, and we're celebrating," Jessy replied. She produced and couple of wine glasses on one hand, and a bottle of 13 year-old Lafite-Rothschild, a wine that costs $3,000 per bottle.

"You're already drunk," Jackson pointed out.

"Not nearly enough," Jessy replied, pouring the wine into the glass and handing it to him. Jackson was too distracted to notice the small tablet that Jessy put on his drink. "Go on...have a sip. You know I don't like drinking alone," she urged him.

Jackson did as he was told, if only to appease his drunk friend. He finished the glass not long after that. Jessy took away his glass, and proceeded to join him on the couch, sitting behind him.

"You're so tensed. You need to relax," she told him, as she massaged the knots on his shoulder.

"I...you...need...to...go..." Jackson stammered, as the room began to sway.

"Shhh...just relax, baby. I'll take care of you," she tried to assure him.

Jessy had been waiting patiently for Jackson to notice her as more than just a friend. All this time, she had been wanting to get in his pants, but she couldn't get him to be interested. But tonight, she planned to change that. Tonight, the wait will be over.

She pushed Jackson further into the couch, he was practically laying down on it. Pretty soon after that, her tongue was shoved down Jackson's throat. Jackson moaned in protest, trying to push her off of him, but the effects of whatever Jessy put in his drink made him weak. With his vision blurred, he began to see things. Jessy's face was replaced with another woman's.

Slowly, Jackson began to see the young woman he saw back in the subway. Doe-eyes that looked like twin pools of chocolate replaced Jessy's green ones. The woman had long, shiny, dark chestnut hair, and light olive complexion, compared to Jessy's red hair and alabaster skin. Pretty soon, the drug-induced haze made him believe that it was really 'Elena' that was kissing him with such fervor. He blinked, trying to clear his head, and he finally saw Jessy again.

"No..." he protested softly. "This...is...wrong..." his voice was so weak, it came out as a moan.

Mistaking his protests for encouragement, Jessy began to attack his neck with bites and pecks. She ripped open his shirt, the buttons scattering all over the floor, leaving wet kisses all over his chest and his torso. Her tongue licked it's way down his happy trail, as she slowly undid the button and the zipper of his pants, her other hand cupping his crotch,stroking more than just his ego. She was about to free his erection from the offending piece of clothing, when the door suddenly burst open, interrupting Jessy from moving further.

"Jack, are you ready to-" Jillian barged into the office in search of her friend. She was shocked to see him laying on the couch, semi-conscious. She was even more stunned to Jessy straddled on top of him. "What the fuck are you doing?" she cursed at the socialite, yanking her off of him.

It was then that Jessy noticed the sounds Jackson was making. They weren't sounds of pleasure, but of pain. He was desperately gasping for breath. He looked as if he was choking on his own tongue. He was too weak, he could barely keep his eyes open.

"Jack? Jack!" Jillian gave his cheeks a few gentle slaps, but he wasn't responding. She turned to face Jillian. Slamming her against the wall. "What the hell did you do to him?" she demanded.

"He...he was so tensed. I...I... just gave him something to relax!" Jessy stammered her response.

"You roofied him? You fucking bitch!" Jillian yelled, before punching her in the face. "You better pray that he's okay. If anything happens to him, I will come after you," Jillian growled threateningly at Jessy, who was wiping the blood from her nose.

Jillian ran towards the door. "Carlos, call 911!" she ordered, before returning to Jackson's side, worriedly trying to revive him.

* * *

**~END OF CHAPTER SIX~**

* * *

**A/N** :

*Raise your hand if you want to hunt Jessy down and beat the crap out of her. [raises both hands] And props to everyone who knows Jessalyn D'Aubigne.

*To those who are wondering why Damon is so out of character when he came back, let me remind you that he came back without his memories, and has no idea who or what he was in the past.

*Jackson's being taken to the hospital. Alaric and Elena are headed to the hospital to see Jeremy. Me thinks that Madame Sabrina might be right. Elena might be meeting the 'great true love of her life' pretty soon. What do you think?

*As always, many thanks to all my readers. And again, your reviews are much appreciated.


	7. Chapter 7 Baby, Now That I've Found You

**A/N** : Pssst...LOOK AT THE TITLE, that's all I'm gonna say.

* * *

**CHAPTER SEVEN - Baby, Now That I've Found You**

* * *

Elena and Alaric immediately rushed to Mercy Medical Center right after John Paul made the phone call to Ric. They didn't know anything specific, except that Jeremy had an accident in school after one of his art classes. Elena's nerves had been frayed since the incident at the park, and not knowing anything regarding Jeremy's condition was driving her even more to the edge.

"Jeremy Gilbert?" Elena demanded, once the finally reached the nurses' desk at the ER.

"Excuse me?" one of the nurses asked her. "Please remain calm, Miss."

Elena was about to scream at the nurse, when Alaric decided to intervene. "Excuse me, Nurse Reis," he said, looking at the woman's name tag. "My name is Alaric Saltzman. I'm the legal guardian of the patients that was brought here not too long ago. His sister and I just received the news of his accident. Surely, you can understand the reason for our distress," Ric explained.

Nurse Reis expression softened, looking at Elena with sympathy. "What's the patient's name again?" she asked.

"Jeremy. Jeremy Gilbert," Elena replied in a gentler tone.

Nurse Reis typed the name on the keyboard and then looked at her screen. "Gilbert, Jeremy...yes. Brought in for deep incision to his hand. The intern should be done with his sutures now. He's in exam room 3." she pointed them to the direction of the room.

"Thank you," Elena mumbled in response, before rushing towards the room, followed by Alaric.

"You'll be discharged tonight. I see no reason to keep you for observation. Although, I expect you back here in five days to have the stitches removed," Elena heard the doctor ordering Jeremy, as they entered the room.

"Elena? Ric?" Jeremy was surprised to see them. "What are you guys doing here?" he asked.

"I called them," it was John Paul who replied.

"I told John Paul to call your family, Jer," a young woman chimed in, as she brushed a few strands of hair away Jeremy's face, an act that didn't go unnoticed by Elena.

"What happened?" Elena asked worriedly, taking her place by Jeremy's side.

"It's nothing serious, really." Jeremy assured his sister. "I just sliced my hand open with a mat cutter while I was framing a painting. It was a stupid accident. Like I said, nothing serious," he explained. "Right, Doc?" he turned his attention to the man next to him.

"Dr. Joel Goran," the doctor tried to introduce himself to Elena, who was busy holding Jeremy's uninjured hand. "Right," he said, realizing he was being ignored. "Jeremy suffered a deep incision to his left hand. The wound was irrigated and sutured, and we gave him a tetanus shot, for safety precaution. I also prescribed antibiotics and meds for the pain."

"I won't be needing them," Jeremy refused.

"Right...tough guys don't need Tylenol," the young woman by Jeremy's side scoffed, as she caressed the side of his face. Elena noticed that John Paul averted his eyes while this was going on.

"You will be taking them if you don't want that wound infected. You got seven stitches, Mr. Gilbert. You're lucky. Half a centimetres to the left, and you'd be having a different conversation with another doctor," Dr. Goran warned Jeremy. Then, his pager went off. "I need to take this," he excused himself, before he hurriedly left the room.

There was an awkward silence in the room for a brief moment, before the still to be identified woman spoke. "Hi, I'm Cassandra Cartwright, Jeremy's...friend. But you can call me Casey," she introduced herself.

"Oh, right..." Jeremy said. "Casey is John Paul's best friend." he nodded towards John Paul, the normally chatty young man remained silent during the conversation. "She's in my Art History class, and she's also one of the students participating in the academy's Art Exhibit," he added. "Casey, this is my elder sister, Elena Gilbert, and my legal guardian, Alaric Saltzman," Jeremy introduced his family.

"Pleasure to meet you," Casey replied politely.

"We're grateful that you brought Jeremy to the hospital," Ric spoke. "It's getting pretty late. You probably should be heading home," he told Jeremy's friends.

"But-" Casey tried to protest.

"Ric's right," Jeremy interrupted. "Doc already said that I'll be alright," he told both his friends. "Make sure she gets home safe, man," he said to John Paul.

"I'll take care of her," John Paul assured him, before guiding Casey towards the door.

"I'll call you tomorrow," Jeremy told Casey.

"Goodnight," Casey said, nodding her goodbye to Ric and Elena, before she and John Paul made their exit.

Once they left, Jeremy turned his attention to his family. "I'm sorry, you guys," he apologized. "This wasn't a big deal."

"I was so worried," Elena replied.

"John Paul shouldn't have called you two," Jeremy said.

"No, he did the right thing," Ric told him. "We're your family, Jeremy. We deserved to know if you got hurt."

"It wasn't even serious," Jeremy argued. "One of you could have healed me easily. Casey just panicked when she saw the blood," he explained.

"Casey seems to have a crush on you," Ric teased him.

"Please...she just a friend. She's not even my type," Jeremy insisted.

"Does John Paul know that?" Elena wondered out loud.

"John Paul? Why?" Jeremy asked curiously.

"Because he's in love with Casey," Elena pointed out.

"No-" Jeremy contradicted.

"Yes," Elena insisted. "There was something in the way he looked at Casey. That pained look on his face when he catches her staring at you? I've seen that expression way too many times on Damon's face...back when I was with Stefan." she said emotionally. She cleared her throat before speaking again. "I think you should clear things up with your friend. You don't want to be stepping on anybody's toes," she told her brother. She turned her head away and quickly stood up. "Excuse me...I'm gonna to the restroom, fix myself. I must look like a drown rat." With that, she quickly ran out of the room.

"Elena-" Jeremy called out.

"Leave her be," Ric said. "It's been a long and tiring day for her," he added.

"What happened?" Jeremy asked worriedly.

"I'll tell you all about it later," Ric replied. "Right now, I'm gonna go find someone to discharge you," he said, before leaving Jeremy in the room.

* * *

"Please, tell me he's going to be alright," Elena heard a woman begging one of the nurses. The voice sounded familiar, but she couldn't see her face.

"Come with me, Jillian. The police would want to take your statement," the nurse said, as she led the woman away.

Elena strained to see her face, but a flurry of activity erupted in the emergency room, as paramedics, nurses and doctors came rushing in, wheeling a patient in on a stretcher. Elena tried to get out of their way,as they brought the patient to the nearest trauma room, and into the bed. Elena's curiosity regarding the woman disappeared, and was replaced with fear and concern once she identified who the patient was that the paramedics just brought in.

"Damon..." she whispered once she found her voice. She tried to follow the medical staff inside the trauma room, but her feet remained frozen, as she stood and watched in horror through the window.

"25 year-old male, flatline," she heard one of the EMT's said.

"All right, how long down?" one of the doctors asked.

"Unknown...his friend found him in his office...possible adverse reaction to prescription drugs...we've been working on him for 15, gave him two rounds of eppy, two of atrophine," the EMT replied.

"Been any signs of life?" the doctor asked again.

The EMT shook his head. "Sorry, Dr. Foster. We got him back once, then we lost him again," he answered.

"Right...let's get him on a monitor." Dr. Foster told the staff. "Check ventilation" she ordered one of the interns. "And page Dr. Bell. She might want to know that her favorite patient is back," she told one of the nurses.

"I'm here," Dr. Bell announced, as she entered the room. "What his status?" she inquired.

"Monitor's up," one of the nurses announced.

"No readable pulse," another nurse said.

"Asystole!" a third nurse yelled.

"No spontaneous respiration," Dr. Foster told Dr. Bell.

"No response to pain," the intern added.

"Does anybody have any good news?" Dr. Bell asked.

"Pupils are…fixed and dilated," Dr. Foster answered.

"No corneal reflex," the intern said.

"Well, we got him back before...we can do it again." Dr. Bell announced. "Let's have a high dose appy, a pulse ox and a title CO2 detector," she began to bark orders to the staff.

It was at that time that Elena entered the trauma room. "Please..." she whispered at first. "PLEASE...don't let him die!" she pleaded out loud, tears running down her face. She was on the verge of pushing everyone off of Damon, and feeding him her blood.

Dr. Bell looked at her, and then turned to one of the nurses. "Get her out of here," she said. "We're going to have to do a gastric lavage...I need an intubation tray...get the crash cart..." Dr. Bell's voice faded away, as the nurse led her out of the room, and into the waiting area.

"You need to stay here, sweetie," the nurse told her. "You need to let us do our job, okay?" she asked Elena calmly.

Elena looked at the woman's name tag. 'Nurse Paz Aquino', it said. She was sweet. In a way, she reminded Elena of her Aunt Jenna. She stared the nurse in the eye. "You need to save him," she said.

"That's what we're doing," Nurse Aquino replied. "Are you his friend?" she asked Elena.

"He's the great true love of my life," Elena whispered in response.

Nurse Aquino's eyes brightened at Elena's answer. "We're going to do the best we can to save him," she reassured Elena. "I'm going back in that room, and make sure that he makes it back to you, okay?" she added, before turning around to return to the trauma room.

Elena was on her way to follow the nurse, when she heard someone call her name.

"Elena! There you are! We've been looking for you. Jeremy's been discharged," Alaric informed her. "What's wrong?" he asked, noticing the distress in her demeanor.

"He's here, Ric," Elena replied. "All this time, he's been here all along," she said.

"Who's here?" Ric asked.

"Damon," Elena replied. "He's been here...waiting for me to find him...to save him," she cried, as she turned her attention back to the trauma room's window, desperately seeking any sign of life from Damon.

* * *

Jeremy searched inside another empty room, looking for his sister. Ric had filled him in about what happened back at the park, and he was starting to worry about Elena. He walked further down the hallway, towards yet another room, when he noticed a woman standing in front of the vending machine. Not just any woman though.

"Bonnie," he whispered. He wanted to run towards her, but he remembered their last encounter not too long ago, when she didn't seem to recognize him.

"Think, Jeremy...THINK!" Jeremy screamed inside his head.

He finally worked up the courage, and walked closer to her. He cleared his throat before he reached out to her.

* * *

Jillian ran her hands all over her face, and then combed her hair with her fingers. It had been a long and stressful night, and it wasn't over yet. She just finished giving her statement to the police, but she doubts that they'd be making any arrests. Jessy's family were filthy rich and very powerful. She growled in frustration, as her anger boiled inside of her. She shook her to clear her mind. The voices were back again.

_No, Jillian! Focus!_ She screamed at herself inside her mind. Jack needed her to be strong.

_Aggghhh..._she whimpered softly, as she felt a stabbing pain inside her skull._ Not now...please. Not. Now_...she willed herself to stay strong, but her hands were having tremors.

"Are you alright?" Jillian was startled at man who asked her.

She turned around to face the young man. "I'm fine," she answered, before pushing her way past him. She couldn't continue, as her feet wobbled, and the floor seemed to dance beneath her. She would have collapsed, if the man hadn't caught her in his arms.

"I got you," the man assured her with a smile.

* * *

"I've seen you before," she said to him.

Jeremy had his hopes up when he heard her say this. She helped him stand, and didn't let go of her until she was steady on her feet.

"I ran into you before...I was in a hurry to get to a cab," she remembered.

And just like that, Jeremy's hopes were crushed. "Actually, you ran over me, pushed me to the ground, and then stole my cab...not that I'm holding a grudge or anything," he replied with a forced smile.

"Did I really? I don't remember that part," she feigned innocence.

"Yeah...you seem to have selective memory," Jeremy pointed out. He caught her again, when she wobble on her feet. "Are you sure you're alright?" he asked worriedly.

"I'm fine," she insisted, as she pried herself of his grip.

"Maybe we should get you to a doctor," Jeremy suggested. "I heard this place was full of them," he added jokingly. He instinctively brushed his hand on her cheek. "You should sit down...wait, I didn't catch your name," he realized.

"I never threw it at you," she retorted.

"Tell me your name," Jeremy asked.

"You may call me Eurydice Colette Clytemnestra Dido Bathsheba Rabelais Patricia Cocteau Stone," she replied sarcastically.

"That's not your name," Jeremy told her.

"I didn't say it was my name. I said that that's what you may call me. Have you always been this stupid or did they train you for this?" she responded glibly.

Jeremy was about to mouth off an equally smart-ass reply, when a voice called out to him.

"Mr. Gilbert, there you are! Your guardian, Mr. Saltzman, has been looking for you," the nurse informed him.

He turned his attention back to the woman he loved, only to find that she disappeared again. He let his eyes roam around the hall, but he couldn't find her.

"Oh, no, no, no, no, no...you won't get away that easily. Not this time," he swore, as he began to search every room in the area.

* * *

Elena held on to Damon's hand, her fingers laced with his. She leaned closer and gently pressed her head to the left side of his chest. She breathed a sigh of relief when the heard that sound which reassured her. The sound of his heart beating. It wasn't strong, but it was steady.

_Damon's alive._ Elena whispered to herself, as she let Damon's heartbeat soothe her nerves. "You came back to me," she said, as she gave him a gentle peck on his lips, and tears of joy began to flow from her eyes.

Elena strained to hear the conversation outside the room. She let her vampire ears listen in on the chatter at the nurses' station.

"_Some girl roofied him,"_ said one female nurse.

"_Can't say I'm surprise. Have you seen the man? He's pretty freakin' hot!" _replied another female nurse.

"_Honey...I'm a lesbian, and if given the opportunity, I'd mount him." _said another nurse.

"_Hey, he's a good man,"_ said a voice Elena recognized as Nurse Aquino. _"Show some respect,"_ she demanded.

Elena growled in fury, as she listened in on the conversation. She already overheard the doctors talking earlier. It seems that the reason why Damon was rushed in the ER was due to an 'adverse reaction to Lorazepam'. Somebody did this to him. And she can't wait to find out who.

"That bitch is dead," she whispered menacingly, as dark veins crawled around her eyes.

She tried to rein in her anger, and focused on taking care of Damon. She stared at the pale color of his skin, his breathing, far from normal. His eyes has yet to open. Elena shook her head. Damon was far from being okay. Even she can see that he was very ill, and she was no doctor. Left with no option, she bit into her wrist, and leaned closer towards Damon.

"Elena, don't!" Alaric appeared out of nowhere, and stopped her, pulling her away from Damon and out of the room.

"Let me do this, Ric!" Elena snarled and hissed, as she struggled against the older vampire's grip. "How could you just stand there and look at your best friend in this condition?"

"We don't know the conditions of his return, Elena. What if giving him vampire blood only makes things worse? Have you thought of that?" Ric tried to reason with her.

"Bullshit! Tell me honestly, Ric...if that was Jenna laying on that bed, on the brink of death...would you feed her your blood if you knew that it's the only way that she can be saved?" she asked him. She waited for answer, but was met with silence. "I thought so. Hypocrite!" she lashed out. She was about to return to Damon's side, when Jeremy appeared out of nowhere, running towards them.

"You'll never guess who I just saw..." Jeremy said, gasping to catch his breath.

"Let me guess...you saw Bonnie," Elena answered, still glaring pointedly at Ric.

"Yes, but she wasn't a hallucination," the younger Gilbert argued.

"I know, Jer," Elena replied, tilting her head towards he room.

"Oh, my God! Is that Damon?" Jeremy asked disbelievingly.

"Yep," Elena answered, mimicking Damon's casual response. "In the flesh."

"They're both back," Jeremy gasped.

"We need to get him out of here," Elena said with conviction.

"He's too weak," Ric contradicted.

"That wouldn't be a problem, if you'd just let me heal him," Elena pointed out.

"And what if you make things worse? What if your blood isn't the solution?" Ric pressed.

"Then just help me get him out of here! He can stay with us until we find some answers," Elena insisted.

"They know him here, Elena. Now, we can compel the nurses and the doctors and the rest of the medical staff, but what are we going to do with the CCTV cameras? Like you said, Damon's been here the whole time. People who knows him are bound to look for him." Ric tried to reason with her.

"So, what are you suggesting?" Jeremy asked the older vampire.

"There's no easy solution to any of this, Jer. Nothing we do can solve this tonight," Ric replied. "How about we just go home for now?" he suggested.

"That's you answer, Ric? That we go home and sleep on it?" Elena scoffed.

"Look, you said it yourself, you look like a drowned rat. You really want Damon to see you like this when he wakes up?" Ric asked.

"She didn't recognize me..." Jeremy muttered softly.

"What?" Ric asked.

Jeremy stared at Ric, then at Elena. "I meant Bonnie," he replied. "She didn't recognize me. I talked to her, and she has no idea who I am," he informed them. "And if she doesn't remember me, there's a huge chance that Damon has no memory of you," he deduced.

Elena pressed her back against the wall, her body slowly sliding down the floor. "I can't take anymore bad news today."

Alaric helped her stand up again. "Let's just go home for now. We'll come back later, when we've had time to process all this," he told her.

Elena didn't want to, but she had no strength to refuse. She took one last look at Damon. "I'll come back to you...I promise," she whispered, before allowing Ric and Jeremy to lead her out of the hospital.

* * *

Less than a few hours later, Elena was freshly showered and properly dress. She returned to the hospital, without bothering to let Ric know where she was going. She wasn't sorry for wanting to be with Damon. She wasn't about to apologize for needing to be by his his side.

"I can't believe I actually beat you here," Elena was jarred out of her thoughts, as she looked up to see Jeremy with a smug look on his face.

"Hey, I had to get ready. I can't let Damon all icky," Elena replied with a soft smile.

She and Jeremy headed over to Damon's room. Much to Elena's horror, they found the room empty. No sign of Damon whatsoever. Elena began to panic again, fear creeping inside her heart.

"He checked himself out against medical advice a couple of hours ago. Missed him by 30 minutes," Alaric told them, as he suddenly appeared out of nowhere. "Can't say I'm surprised. He always has been stubborn as a mule, that jackass," he chuckled. "Aren't you two supposed to be at home?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Aren't you supposed to be asleep," Elena asked him back.

"Can't believe you fell for that," Ric replied with a smile.

"Have you seen Bonnie?" Jeremy inquired.

"Also not here," Ric replied. "Don't worry, I've been busy," he assured the Gilbert siblings. "Nurse Aquino," he called the young woman.

Elena gasped in shock. "You compelled her?" she asked.

"Only way we can get some answers," Ric answered. "Answer all their questions. Tell them everything that you told me," he ordered the nurse.

"Do you remember me?" Elena asked the compelled nurse.

"Yes...you're Jackson's girl," Nurse Aquino replied.

"Jackson?" Elena wondered.

"Jackson Crow. That's Damon's new name," Ric clarified.

"Does Jackson have a friend?" Jeremy's turn to ask, before he gave a perfect description of Bonnie.

"That's Jillian. Jillian Nightingale. Jackson's best friend," the nurse answered him.

"I must say...those names are pretty creative," Alaric muttered.

"Where is 'Jackson'?" Elena pressed.

"He checked out of the hospital against his doctor's advice. He doesn't like hospitals that much," Nurse Aquino replied.

"Do you know where I can find him?" Elena pressed.

"Sure, I can get you the address," the nurse answered.

"That would be of great help, thank you," Elena told her, as she watched the nurse write down Damon's address. Elena smiled as she took the paper from the woman. She was on her way to see Damon.

_I'm coming, Damon. And I'm not letting you go ever again. Never again._

* * *

**~END OF CHAPTER SEVEN~**

* * *

**A/N** :

*There you go, my faithful readers! How did you like it? Hit the REVIEW button and let me know.

*Some of the characters I used are a reference to another show? Can you guess which ones?

*Pardon the medical jargon. I'm not an expert at doctor's lingo.

*Many thanks for reading this chapter. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I had fun writing it.


	8. Chapter 8 - Hello, I Love You

**A/N** : Greetings and salutations to all you amazing readers. You guys have no idea how much I appreciate and enjoy reading your reviews. It's feedback from readers that makes me want to write more, so, THANK YOU! As promised, here's the continuation to the much-awaited Damon/Elena reunion. This chapter is a bit lighter than the others, as requested by one of my readers who PM'd me, saying that my characters shouldn't be in pain all the time.

* * *

**CHAPTER EIGHT – Hello, I Love You (Won't You Tell Me Your Name?)**

* * *

Jillian sluggishly walked inside 'The Broken Note', and flopped herself on one of the bar stools, then slumped her face down on the counter of the bar.

"Who do I have to blow to get some coffee around here?" she asked, raising her dark sunglasses to her head, squinting her eyes at the light.

"A little decorum, Jillian!" Jackson chastised her, suddenly appearing from behind the counter. "One of these days, someone will take you up on that remark."

"What the hell are you doing here?" she questioned her best friend with a mixture of worry and annoyance.

"I own the place," Jackson replied cheekily.

"I left you at the hospital several hours ago-" Jillian huffed.

"More like 10, really-" Jackson tried to interrupt her.

"Umm...you told me to go home and get some rest...that you'd be okay-" Jillian reminded him.

"I AM okay," Jack pointed out.

"And here I thought you that you'd still be there, since, oh, I don't know...oh yeah, the Barracuda tried to drown you with Ativan-laced Lafite! I was on my way to see you at the hospital." she chided him.

"Saved you a trip?" Jackson replied glibly to Jillian who looked unamused. "Oh, come on, Jill...you know I hate hospitals," his lower lips resorting to a pout as a move to gain sympathy from his friend. "Here you go, hot coffee...strong and black, with 3 sugar cubes, just the way you like it," he presented as a peace offering.

Jillian perked up when she inhaled the aroma of the hot beverage, her face beaming radiantly as she finally caved in to her best friend's charming apology. "Thanks...how much do I owe you?" she asked.

"Jillian Nightingale, in our entire history of knowing each other, when have I ever make you pay?" Jackson scoffed.

"I'm going to start paying as soon as I get this Broadway gig," Jillian vowed.

"No, you won't...I won't let you," he refused.

"Good...'cause I think that what theater actors make in a year is just about the same amount of money that you make in 3 months." she mentioned. "Mmmm...Just what I needed...high-octane coffee. This is sooo good! Free drinks taste better!" she exclaimed while she savored the flavor of the coffee. She discreetly clutched at her head as tried to hide the tremors that rocked throughout her body.

"You don't look so good," Jackson noticed. "You should go home," he said worriedly.

"We both know that that's impossible. I always look good," Jillian joked flippantly.

"Come on, I'm serious! Get some rest. You look like hell," he told her.

"Excuuuuse meee! I was up all night worrying about my best friend who almost died last night," she replied, trying to steer the topic away from herself.

"Sorry," Jack apologized.

"Shush...I will never stop worrying for you, you know that," she told him. She took out a compact mirror from her purse, and stared at her reflection. "You're right. I look like shit," she agreed.

"I didn't say shit," he countered.

"I was supposed to meet with my agent later today...and I look like shit," Jillian freaked out.

"Agent? You mean that shark who takes a huge chunk of your hard-earned money?" Jack retorted.

"Shush!" Jillian tried to silence him again, as she covered the dark circles under her eyes with makeup. "How is it that YOU were the one in the hospital last night, and yet I end up as the one looking like shit?" Jill wondered.

"Stop saying shit. I never said that you looked like shit," he denied.

Suddenly, Carlos' head popped out the kitchen door. "Boss? I know you're not 'officially' here today, but you're kinda needed here at the back. There's been a mix up with the supply order," he informed Jackson.

"Why? What is it?" Jackson asked.

"I think it's better if you just come and see for yourself," Carlos replied, fidgeting.

"I'll be right back," Jackson told Jillian, leaning over to kiss the tip of her nose, before making his way back to the kitchen.

Jillian continued to sip her coffee in peace, when she heard the door chime of the pub jingling as the entrance opened.

"Sorry. We won't be open for at least another hour," Jillian heard Moon inform the newly-arrived patrons.

"That's okay. We're with HER," she heard a familiar voice reply. She turned her head and saw Jeremy, that pesky young man from the hospital, waving at her.

"No, you're not!" Jillian denied, shaking her head vigorously.

"So...you ready to tell me your name?" Jeremy asked, grinning from ear to ear, as he took a seat beside her.

"Yeah...last name 'Beeswax', first name 'Nonya'," Jillian replied mockingly. "And YOU must be Mr. Dork...Dork-Dorkity-Dork Face from Dorktown, Dorkania." she chuckled at her own joke. She noticed Elena from behind Jeremy. "And look...you even brought Mrs. Dork!"

"Actually, that's my sister," Jeremy corrected her, as he gave the elder Gilbert an encouraging smile.

"Whatever. I don't care. Go away. Shoo!" Jillian gestured to drive them away, but her demeanor changed when she saw Alaric appear next to the two. "Hello, Handsome," she greeted flirtatiously.

"Really? Seriously?" Jeremy stared incredulously at her quasi-girlfriend.

"Alaric Saltzman...I'm Jeremy's guardian," he introduced himself to Jillian, as he shook her hand.

"You look like Indiana Jones," she told Alaric. She turned to Jeremy. "Doesn't he look like Indiana Jones?"

"Alaric is a History Professor at SUNY," Elena chimed into the conversation. "What do you do?"

"I'm an actress," Jillian informed her, still smiling as she fixed her gaze at Alaric.

"Interesting...like in the movies?" Elena pressed.

"Puh-lease! Movies are overrated! I'm a theater actress. Hollywood is so pedestrian these days. Broadway is where acting is a craft," Jillian said with a dramatic flair. She raised an eyebrow at Elena. "I'm sorry, I don't believe you've introduced yourself."

Jackson suddenly burst in from the kitchen. "Jill, you'll never guess what just arrived for me at the office-" his voice trailed off in shock once he saw who else was inside his pub. "Elena?" he asked, not believing his eyes.

Elena gasped when she heard him say her name. She opened her mouth as she tried to speak, then closed it again when no words came out.

"Wait...hold up. You know her name?" Jeremy asked curiously.

"You remember me," Elena said when finally found her voice. Her eyes began to water.

Jackson looked behind her and noticed Alaric's presence. "That's what HE called you," he said, pointing to Ric. "No ring, so...not your husband. Boyfriend? F_iancé_ ?

Elena stared at him, and then at Alaric, and then back to him. "Oh...no, no, no no, no! None of the above," she informed him.

"Alaric Saltzman," Ric rolled his eyes as he introduced himself again, feeling odd that his own best friend couldn't remember him. "I'm her legal guardian slash former stepdad slash almost uncle," he told him.

"You're multi-hyphenated," Jackson attempted to joke.

"He's also a History professor, Jack," Jillian chimed in. "And he looks like Indiana Jones."

There was an awkward silence for a brief moment, until Elena broke the ice. "So, uh...Jack?"

"Oh...right...RIGHT!" Jack stammered. "My name's Crow...Jackson Crow," he introduced himself, then smacking his palm into his forehead. "I...I didn't mean to say that in a 'Bond...James Bond' kind of way..."

"We both know you're NOT that smooth," Jillian scoffed. She turned to Elena. "Seriously, he has no game. No game whatsoever."

"That's okay," Elena replied. "I'm not a big fan of players," she said, her eyes focused on Damon...or in this case, Jackson. "Jack..." Elena whispered, letting the name roll off her tongue. The new name would take her a while to get used to.

"Uhm...NO," Jillian interrupted. "**I** call him Jack. Everyone else calls him JACKSON," she clarified.

Jack glared at his best friend. "She can call me whatever she wants. She can call me 'Shirley' for all I care. She's ELENA..." he muttered.

"So...I can call you Jill then?" Jeremy asked, butting into the conversation.

"No, you may NOT," Jillian replied, before turning her attention back to Jack. "Wait...Elena? Girl from the subway Elena? THAT Elena?" she pressed.

"Oh, my God! She's the ONE!" Moon chimed in from behind the bar, clapping her hands softly in glee. "Awww! You made his heart go 'Boom, badoom, boom, boom, badoom, boom," the pub manager told her.

"She also made his heart stop, let's not forget about that," Jillian reminded everyone who knew. "Yep, he flatlined. A couple of times. He was unconscious at the hospital for quite some time," she informed Elena.

"Only for a few hours," Jackson corrected his best friend, noticing the look of guilt on Elena's face.

"She looks like she should still be in high school," Jillian pointed out. "What are you, like 17-18 years old?"

"I'm 21 years old," Elena patiently replied. "I'm in college, actually."

"Excuse me all to hell." Jillian scoffed. "Got any ID?"

"Jillian!" Jack scolded his friend.

"What?" Jill asked innocently. "Just making sure she's not jailbait. I'm doing this for your own good."

"She really is of age," Alaric attested to everyone.

"Seriously, girl? You look like you're a teenager." Jillian said disbelievingly. "What exactly are your intentions towards my friend?"

"Ahem," Jackson cleared his throat to catch Jillian's attention. "Didn't you say that you have an appointment somewhere?" he reminded his best friend. "Wouldn't want you to be late," he coaxed his friend.

"Fine...fine!" Jillian raised her hands in defeat. "I'm going," she said. She slowly got up from her seat, she observed as Jackson and Elena stared longingly into each others' eyes.

"Hey," Jackson whispered to Elena.

"Hey back," Elena replied softly, stepping closer towards him.

"Oh, my God...you two even speak the same gibberish!" Jillian interrupted their moment. "Match made in heaven," she retorted. She saw Jackson glaring at her. "What? I'm leaving. Foot almost out the door...see?" She began to walk towards the door in her leisurely way.

"You have to forgive my friend. Her brain-to-mouth filter doesn't work sometimes," Jackson chuckled nervously.

"Don't apologize for me!" Jillian scolded him.

"I think she's cute when she's annoyed," Jeremy stated.

"No one asked you!" Jillian huffed at him. "Seriously! Are you like, stalking me?"

"Awwww...your first stalker," Jackson teased.

"NO...no 'awww'-ing. There will be no 'awww'-ing," Jill told her friend, slightly embarrassed. "I'm leaving. See you later," she said to Jack, then turned to Elena. "Bye, ELAINE!" she snided.

"Actually, it's ELENA," she patiently corrected Jillian.

"Whatever," Jillian scoffed as she headed out the door.

Jackson noticed the lethargic way that Jillian walked out, and immediately felt guilty. "Excuse me for a moment," he said to Elena, before following his friend outside.

* * *

Jeremy tapped his fingers impatiently at the counter, then turned to his sister. "So...what are they talking about?" he asked.

"I don't know," Elena shrugged.

"Can't you use your vampire ears to find out?" Jeremy begged her with his eyes.

"No! I don't wanna violate their privacy?" Elena replied.

"Alaric?" Jeremy turned to his guardian.

"That would be a 'no', Jer," Ric answered.

"Fine, then..." Jeremy said. "I'll spy on them on my own."

* * *

Outside, Jackson managed a quick jog to catch up to Jillian. "Hey...wait up!" he said, as he struggled to catch his breath.

"God! Go back inside!" Jill ordered. "You're not supposed to strain yourself," she reminded him.

"I'm fine," Jack told her. "Question is...are YOU okay?"

"I'm alright," Jill quickly replied .

"Then, what's with the pouty face?" Jack asked, playfully pinching her cheek.

"Nothing," Jill insisted. She sighed audibly before she spoke. "Jack...you haven't outgrown me as a friend, have you?"

"Jill, I could NEVER outgrow you as my BEST friend," Jack reassured her, pulling her into a hug.

Jillian hugged him in return and smiled. "You really like her? Like...really LIKE like her?" she wanted to know.

"Yes...I really do LIKE like her," Jackson admitted, laughing softly.

"Fine," Jillian said, finally giving in. "I guess she's okay. I mean...she looks like a non-mutant to me," she added, cracking a smile. "Well...what are you waiting for? Go back to her."

"Alright," Jack nodded thankfully. "I'll see you later."

"Hey," Jill called him back. "Wanna go play 'Captain and Tennille' tonight?" she asked.

"Do I get to be the Captain this time?" Jackson chuckled.

"Shut up! So...that's a yes?" Jill insisted.

"That is a definite yes," Jack answered. "Heads up...your new admirer is approaching," he alerted her teasingly.

"Whatever," Jill scoffed. She watched Jack as he went back inside the pub, and then turned her attention to Jeremy. "Where are YOU going?

"I think I'll keep you company today," Jeremy replied with a grin.

"Do you have a car?" Jillian asked him.

"No," Jeremy answered.

"Then what good are you?" Jillian scoffed.

"Comic relief...bodyguard...take your pick," Jeremy responded.

"Okay, fine! Just...don't be annoying!" Jillian warned him, then started to walk away.

"You won't regret this," Jeremy told her, as he walked beside her.

"I already do," Jillian retorted, widening her stride.

"You know something?" Jeremy asked her. "I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship," he said.

"Don't talk," Jillian tried to silence him.

"What? Haven't you heard? Friendship is the BEST ship," Jeremy laughed.

"Shut up," Jillian scoffed, as she tried to keep a straight face, but cracked a smile when Jeremy wasn't looking.

Side by side, Jillian and Jeremy headed for the subway together.

* * *

**~END OF CHAPTER EIGHT~**

* * *

**A/N** :

*Now, now...I know you all have been waiting for the highly-anticipated Delena reunion, but I'm gonna have some fun with Elena and human-amnesiac Damon (what do you think...Jelena?). I hope you're fine with some cutesy stuff, because there are some DE cuteness ahead on the next chapter. Same goes for Beremy, because I'm having lots of laughs writing for Jillian and Jeremy's master and puppy dog relationship. (Jillemy? Jerian?)

*Just to clarify, _Jillian_ showed animosity towards Elena because she's very protective of _Jackson_.

*Apologies for some of the language (especially Jillian's, haha!)...let me know if you are offended by it, and I will change the rating of the story.

*To those who seems bored with the pacing of the story, don't fret. The future chapters is a slow but interesting progression of Damon and Elena's process of getting to know each other again (hence the title, "Till We Ain't Strangers Anymore"). There might be some courtship. There might be some ( a LOT of) flirting. There may even be some kissing. There will most definitely be romance. Plus, we get to see Elena's frame of mind, see if she likes this new Damon, or will she work on getting the old Damon back.

*Things to watch out for in the next chapter: order mix-up that Carlos was talking about (What is in Jackson's office?); DE (Jelena) cuteness; Jack and Jill play Captain and Tennille; and some future talk.

*I hope you like this lighter chapter. Let me know by clicking the REVIEW button. Again, many thanks to those who continuously read my stories. If you haven't read them yet, please feel free to check out my other recent TVD stories : "What Dreams May Come" and "Falling Away From Me".


	9. Chapter 9 - Future Starts Slow

**A/N** : Once again, many thanks to all the readers who support my writing. I'm running out or words to express my appreciation, so I'm hoping a mere 'thank you', along with this story update, would suffice. Unfortunately, life gets in the way, and I can't devote a lot of time to writing as much as I really would love to. If I could, I would have finished both of my stories before TVD S6 starts. But I assure you, I am doing my best to keep the updates coming.

**WARNING** : Elena will be feeding in one of the scenes in this chapter, which may not be suitable for the sensitive readers. Sorry in advance.

* * *

**CHAPTER NINE – Future Starts Slow**

* * *

Inside the pub, Elena nervously fidgeted with a strand of thread sticking out of her sweater, looking to Alaric for answers regarding what to tell Jackson, who seems to have completely lost all his memories as Damon.

"What do I tell him?" she asked Ric. "God, where do I even start?"

"What did I say about thinking things through before heading over here?" Ric returned the question.

"Not helping," Elena told him, looking at Jack through the window. Seriously, Ric...I can't exactly just come up to him and say that, 'Oh, pretty sure you don't remember any of this, but your name isn't Jackson Crow...it's Damon Salvatore. And you're actually my not-so-dead boyfriend who disappeared along with my best friend over a couple of years ago back in Magictown, Virginia. And by the way, you used to be a vampire!' Can I?" she asked rhetorically.

"Well...you can always follow that up with 'I am so sorry it took me this long to find you. My friends and family convinced me that holding on to any kind of hope that you were still alive would be crazy'." Alaric replied half-jokingly. "Really, Elena...if I had a clue that Damon and Bonnie would still be alive, I would've been right there by your side searching for them. I shouldn't have discouraged you..." he told her solemnly.

"I know, Ric," she told him. "I'm not blaming anyone. It was my choice to move on with my life. It was a huge mistake to believe that Damon was gone completely. I mean, he promised me that he would find his way back to me."

"But you never really moved on with your life, did you?" Ric reminded her. "And it appears that he made good on his promise," he pointed out.

"Now, all I have to do is help him get his memories back," Elena uttered. She continued to look out the window. "Well, it seems like Jeremy just scored a date with Bon-...Jillian," she quickly corrected herself. "You think I should ask Damon...Jackson out on a date?" she asked Ric. "That's cool these days, right? The lady making the first move?"

"Well...you wouldn't want to come off too strong," Ric advised. "You have to remember, Jackson isn't Damon, at least, not completely. You might scare him away."

"So...what do I do?" Elena needed to know.

"Let HIM do what comes naturally,"Ric answered. "Some men prefer the chase. Some women prefer the courtship stage. Maybe you just need to relax and let him woo you."

"Woo? Seriously?" Elena chuckled.

"Hey, don't knock it! You might enjoy it," Ric hinted.

Their conversation was interrupted when Jackson reentered the pub. He beamed a smile at Elena, to which she returned with equal radiance. Alaric watched as the two stared into each others' eyes, as if communicating with each other without uttering a word. Alaric felt awkward witnessing the silent exchange, so he cleared his throat and spoke.

"I guess that's my cue to leave," Ric announced.

"No...wait," Jackson told him. "You don't have to go."

"Yeah, he kinda does, really..." Elena muttered. "I mean, he has quite a few errands to run."

"She's right," Ric said. "I do have things to do." He leaned over to give Elena a chaste kiss on the cheek. "Remember, don't scare him away," he softly reminded her.

"I won't," Elena whispered back. "And I'll even let him 'woo' me," she said with a smile.

"Jackson..." Ric reached his hand out to Jack. "It was a pleasure to meet you."

"The pleasure was my mine," Jackson replied, shaking Ric's hand.

"This is a nice place you've got here," Ric told him. "I think I might become a regular."

"I'll save you a seat at the bar," Jackson answered cordially.

Ric mulled over the familiarity of those simple words. "Thanks, buddy," he said with a smile. He patted Jackson on the shoulder, before turning around and heading for the door.

There was a brief pause while Jack and Elena stared at each other once again. They decided to speak at the same time. "So-" they said in unison, then laughed together. Their conversation was interrupted when the door opened, and customers started piling in, signaling that the pub was open.

"Maybe we should take this chat somewhere private," Jackson suggested. "I have an office at the back," he said, as he opened the kitchen door and ushered into the back part of the pub.

* * *

Once they arrived at the office, Jackson wanted to make Elena more comfortable. "May I take your coat?" he asked.

"Thank you," Elena replied, as she took her coat off and handed it to Jack. "This is cozy," she said, as she let her eyes roam around the room.

"I spend countless nights in here doing paperwork for the pub. Might as well be comfortable," Jack replied while hanging her coat on the rack.

Elena was about to say something, when the scent of blood permeated the air. It was definitely human blood. One of the cooks in the kitchen must have sliced a finger. The potent scent reminded Elena of her last meal. It had been a while since her last blood bag. She had been so preoccupied that she forgot to feed. She fought hard to control the veins that crept around her eyes. She didn't want Jack to see her like that, at least, not yet. He wouldn't understand. On wobbly feet, she tried to come up with a decent excuse, even though she didn't want to leave yet.

"Elena? Are you okay?" Jackson asked worriedly, noticing how she swaying on her feet.

"I-I'm okay," Elena replied softly, her slightly shaking. She had managed to control the veins, but she kept her eyes shut just in case that they were still bloody red.

"Are you sure? You don't look well," Jackson insisted, as he pulled her closer, his hands gently touching her face to check her temperature.

"I'm fine," Elena said in a steadier voice. "Really, Jack...I just got a little dizzy for a moment," she told him, as she tried to drown out the intoxicating sound of the pulse that pounded on his wrist, deafening her sensitive ears. She needed to rein the bloodlust in, especially when she's around him. Once she was sure that she had everything under control, she slowly opened her eyes again.

"Have you had anything to eat?" Jackson asked her.

"No, I just sorta had some coffee this morning?" Elena replied softly.

"You skipped the most important meal of the day? That's not good," Jack reprimanded her.

"I-I have to go," Elena told him.

"Nonsense," Jack replied. "You need some food in you. You're lucky you're in my kitchen," he said with an irresistible smile. He sat her down on the sofa to make sure she was comfortable. "I'm gonna go fix you something to eat," he told her, accepting no arguments, before he stepped out of the office.

As soon as Jack left, Elena stood up. She needed to get out of there quickly. She was dangerous to anyone in this state, and she didn't want to hurt anybody, especially Jack. She had to find a way without being noticed, but she refused to compel anyone. But she may not have a choice, since the only way out was either the kitchen's back door, or by going back to the pub. Either way, she would have to get past Jack, and there was no way that he was letting Elena leave in her 'condition'.

Elena was starting to panic, as her gums started to ache. Then she suddenly heard strange noises coming from somewhere inside the office. It was a collective sound of tiny feet thumping, soft cooing, some squealing, and what sounded like small teeth grinding. She trained her ears to trace where the sounds were coming from, and it led her to the far corner of the room. She found a medium-sized cage, concealed by a black fabric covering. When she lifted up the cover, she found a warren, an assortment of little bunnies, inside the cage.

"Oh, thank goodness," Elena whispered.

She never liked hurting animals, especially really cute ones, but she can't help but feel as if this was the solution to her current predicament. She remembered her lessons from Stefan and Caroline, and how she felt the guilt afterwards, but at the moment, she had no other choice. She quietly opened the cage, and she took a bunny out and whispered an apology, before she sank her fangs on it. After she drained that one, she grabbed another bunny and repeated the process. One after another, she fed from the bunnies, careful not to drip any blood on herself and not to make any mess. Once she was done, she looked around on where to dump the dead bunnies. She opened the window, and hard as she could, she threw the carcasses far away. Then, she heard footsteps approaching. She quickly fixed herself up, making sure her face and hands were clean. Then she hurriedly sat back on the sofa.

There was a quick knock on the door, before it opened, Jackson poking his head inside. "Elena, I was wondering if you had any food allergies? Or-" he stopped when he saw the empty cage. He stepped inside and looked at it curiously.

"Jack?" Elena asked nervously.

"There were rabbits in that cage earlier." Jack said, after close inspection. "Where did they go?"

"They...died." Elena responded tentatively. It wasn't the entire truth, but it wasn't exactly a lie.

"Died?" Jackson asked, with a confused expression. He could tell that she was lying. He looked around, taking his eyes off the cage, and saw the open window. "Oh," he whispered, as if he just realized the answer. "Oh no...you're one of them..."

"Wh-what do you mean? One of who?" Elena asked anxiously, her voice faltering.

"You're a v-" Jack stammered in an unsteady, uncertain tone. Elena braced herself for the accusation that was coming. "You're a vegan."

Elena chuckled and breathed a sigh of relief. "No, I'm not," she denied, comforted that her secret was safe for the time being.

"That's okay, I wasn't...judging," Jack countered.

"Jack, I'm not a vegan," Elena insisted.

"Okay, then...animal rights activist...PETA member...sorry" Jack claimed apologetically.

"Jack-" Elena tried to say something.

"I swear, Elena...I was going to send them back! There was a mix up in the order and our supplier delivered LIVE bunnies instead of rabbit MEAT...not that THAT'S an excuse or anything. The point is, I wasn't going to butcher the bunnies," Jack explained defensively.

"Jack..." Elena tried to get him to take it easy.

"Elena, it's not what you think. I'm not a bad person-" Jack swore.

"Jack, I know you're not! Okay? Please, calm down," Elena tried to reassure him, disappointed on how upset she had made him.

Elena stared lovingly at the man before her...Jackson...Damon. Physically, they appeared to be exactly the same beautiful man that she loves, but underneath lies two entirely different animals. Jackson was a complete contradiction of Damon. Damon was assertive. He was sure of himself...of who he is...what he was...always full of confidence. He knew what he wanted, and he goes after it. Whereas Jackson was a bit on the timorous side. He always seems nervous around her. She wasn't sure if she did anything to cause this behavior on him, but Jack seems unsure of himself whenever he was around her. As adorable as he was the way he fumbled with the words when he spoke to her, he also appears to be uncertain of what he feels about her.

She missed that old spark that seeped out of Damon's pores. She missed the way her skin sizzled when her body was close to his. The way Damon consumed her and claimed her as his. She wanted it to be like the way it was before. The way they were. She needed to find a way to make him feel their love again, without scaring him away. How she wished that his memories would return, so as to wipe any doubt from his mind and his heart, as far as their love was concerned. But she can wait. She has patience and all the time in the world, she will wait for however long it takes until she gets Damon back completely.

"You're kind of a bizarrely awkward guy, huh?" Elena told him as soon as he's calmed down.

"Only when I'm around you," Jack replied softly. "I don't know how to act when you're near me," he admitted.

And in that instant, Elena found the root of the problem. It was one of the same mistakes she had made with Damon during the early stages of their friendship. She made snap decisions regarding his character, based on hearsay and outward appearances. The same way she was doing now...she was judging Jack's jittery responses and assuming that it was lack of confidence.

"You don't need to 'act'." Elena told him. "When you're with me, the only person that you need be is YOU. I'm sorry that I scare you," she said, as she raised her hand and touched his cheek. "I don't care who you are. It doesn't matter to me where you're from, or what you did. Just be yourself. I promise, I won't judge. But I have to warn you, I have bad habits that you might not like."

"I highly doubt that," Jack answered, leaning into her touch. "You're pretty freakin' awesome," he said breathlessly.

"I'm just as flawed as you are, Jack," Elena replied humbly. There was a brief pause, before she spoke again. "So...what were you asking me earlier?"

"Oh...yeah, I wanted to know if you had any food allergies." Jack inquired. "I didn't want to harm you by feeding you food that you were allergic to."

"Nope...no food allergies," Elena replied. "You're gonna cook for me?"

"Try not to look so surprised," Jack chuckled.

"I think you're pretty freakin' awesome. That's so sweet," Elena said. "Can I watch?"

"I've never cooked with an audience before," Jack answered hesitantly.

"Pleeeaase..." Elena begged. "I'm just going to observe. You won't even know I'm there."

"Alright...fine," Jack finally agreed, before leading her to the kitchen.

* * *

_"Pérate, pérate, pérate..._She's not allowed here," said the one she recognized as Carlos, as soon as they reached the kitchen.

"Think of her as the health inspector," Jack replied.

"Is she the health inspector?" Carlos asked again.

"No...but this is good for practice, so think of it as kind of like a drill," Jackson told him. "By the way Elena Gilbert, this is Carlos Ramos, our head chef, and a royal pain in the ass," he said with a soft laugh. Carlos Ramos, meet Elena Gilbert, a good friend of mine."

"Nice to meet you, Carlos," Elena replied.

"Pleasure's mine," Carlos answered, before turning to Jackson. "A friend? You made a friend?" Carlos asked incredulously. "This calls for a celebration!"

Elena watched the back and forth banter between Jack and Carlos. "So...you guys seem close," she said to Carlos when Jack was turned away.

"We're like brothers," Carlos told her. "We're all one big happy family around here. Everyone in here owes him a debt of gratitude. He took a chance on hiring me when no one else would. He even helped my brother get into rehab. He's helped everyone in here in one way or another. That's why we're all loyal to him," he explained to her. Carlos introduced her to everyone in the kitchen, each one of the staff had a story of how Jackson had helped them turn their lives around. It made her even prouder of the man she loves.

"Everything okay?" Jackson asked when she noticed Elena staring at him.

"Yes, of course," Elena answered.

"You two talking about me?" Jack asked Carlos.

"Yeah...I'm telling her about all your flaws and vices," Carlos said, winking at Elena.

"Well...cut it out. You work for me, remember?" Jackson chuckled.

"Sure thing, Boss." Carlos replied with a laugh. "You almost done? Let me know if you need my help. Wouldn't want this poor girl to starve to death on our watch, would we?" he teased Jack.

"I got this. You feed the customers. I'll cook for Elena. We both know I'm the better chef between the two of us." Jack scoffed.

"Whatever you say, Boss," Carlos answered.

"Get back to work," Jack jokingly told Carlos, before turning his attention back to the food he was preparing for Elena.

Elena observed Jackson adoringly, as he moved fluidly around the pub's kitchen. It reminded her of that beautiful day when she caught Damon making her breakfast in bed...that morning after she told Damon that she's not sorry that she fell in love with him. That was one of the most perfect mornings during the summer of their lives, even if they were interrupted by the sudden appearance of the freshly-resurrected Jeremy.

"Elena?" Jackson called her name, jarring her out of her thoughts. And then he smiled. Not just any ordinary smile, but one of those smiles that would brighten you up even on your shittiest day. "I'm almost done here. You can go back to my office now. I'll be there in a few minutes," he assured her.

* * *

Elena reluctantly did as she was told, and went back to Jack's office. As promised, he followed her there not long after. With him was a cart full of delectable food.

"Oh my God! You made all this for me?" Elena was amazed.

"Well, I did promise to feed you," Jack said, as he revealed the contents of the tray.

It was a wide array of mouth-watering cuisine. He made her a Cobb salad, for starters. Then she had Lobster Benedict with baked rosemary potatoes. And for dessert, she had chocolate peanut butter chess pie. It went really well with her mocktail which contained cranberry, grapefruit and orange juice, along with agave nectar and topped with maraschino cherry. He called it the Down East Delight.

"I'm stuffed," Elena moaned, once she was finished with her meal. "Thank you, Jack. That was one of the most delicious meals I've ever had, right down to the very last bite," she told him. "I even enjoyed the mocktail. Seriously though...non-alcoholic beverage? Do I need to show you my I.D.?"

Jackson gave her a shy smile. "I just didn't want you to think that I was trying to get you drunk on our first date," he replied. Then his widened when he realized the slip of his tongue. "Not that this was a date or anything!" he continued in a panicked tone. "Did I say date? I didn't mean-"

Elena pressed her index finger to his lips, calming him. "This was an amazing first date, Jack," she told him.

Jack took chance, and kissed the tip of her finger. "Even if it's just here in my office?" he asked.

"I enjoyed the food,"Elena replied. "And the company was not at all bad," she added with a radiant smile.

Jack's breath got caught in his throat, and he was at a loss for words, as he stared adoringly at Elena. "God, you're beautiful," he whispered breathlessly.

He leaned closer to her and tilted his head. Elena could feel his breath tickle her skin, the electricity coursing through her body as their faces drew closer. They felt that exhilarating feeling of anticipation, as their lips seems to be attracting each other, their bodies being pulled towards each other like magnets. Their noses grazing each other, as they braced for a kiss.

Suddenly there was a knock on the door. "Boss...we kinda need you here," Carlos' voiced boomed from the other side of the door. As he interrupted the moment.

Jackson groaned in frustration. "Be right there," he replied hesitantly. "Talk about bad timing," he scoffed, before turning his attention back to Elena. "I have to..."

"I know," Elena understood. She took both her hands and cupped his face. "Don't worry. We'll have plenty of other chances," she assured him.

"Okay," Jackson said, as he quickly kissed her palm, before heading out the door.

Elena blew out the breath that she was holding, and fanned her face with her hands. Vampire of human, Damon still had the same effect on her. She recalled how her body tingled when Jackson's nose touched hers, or how her skin sizzled when he kissed her palm. This was the same kind of flame that Damon ignited within her with just one touch. Her man may not be as completely gone as she may have earlier thought.

Her thoughts were interrupted when her phone rang. It was Jeremy. She quickly sneaked out of the office. She saw that Jack was busy, so she made her way out of the pub. "Hello Jer?

"Elena? Is Bonnie there?" Jeremy asked.

"You mean Jillian? No, I haven't seen her." Elena replied. "Wasn't she with you?"

"She was. I may have screwed up," Jeremy told her.

"What did you do?" Elena sighed.

"I asked too many questions," Jeremy answered. "Mostly about her and 'Jackson'..."

* * *

When Jackson was done helping Carlos, he immediately returned to his office. He was crestfallen when he found his office empty. Elena had left. He went back to the pub to look for any signs of her, but didn't find any.

"Have you seen Elena?" Jackson asked Moon.

"Yeah, Boss...she was out the door like almost ten minutes ago," the pub manager replied.

"Oh...alright," he replied. Discouraged and disappointed he headed back to the kitchen.

* * *

"Well...did you find out anything?" Elena needed answers.

"Maybe. Do you remember that ferry disaster the day after we lost Bonnie and Damon?" Jeremy asked her.

"Vaguely. I had a lot of other things on my mind at the time," Elena shivered as she recalled that dark period of her life.

"Well, this object fell from the sky...some sort of meteor, or asteroid, or comet, or something...they still don't know what it was. But it fell from space, and into the New York Harbor, sending huge waves to slam against the ferries. Anyway, one the ferries capsized, lots of casualties. Most of the passengers were rescued-" Jeremy went on to explain.

"Jeremy...is there a point to this?" Elena sighed impatiently.

"Elena, both Jackson and Jillian were rescued from that incident," Jeremy revealed to his sister. "They were both pronounced dead, and then revived. They were both in a coma, and then they both woke up at the same exact time. Now you tell me...what are the odds?"

"Jeremy-" Elena whispered skeptically at first.

"Think about it, Elena!" Jeremy implored her. "Bonnie once said that the heavy-duty spells are bound to something even more powerful, like a celestial event. That incident was caused by an object that fell from the sky. The spirits found a way to send Bonnie and Damon back after The Other Side collapsed," he deduced.

"It's really them," Elena said, her voice quivering. "There's no doubt now. Jackson and Jillian are really Damon and Bonnie. All this time...I thought Damon failed to fulfill his promise to me. As it turns out, he was just waiting for me to find him all along."

"Hey...it's alright now," Jeremy tried to comfort his sister. "We found them, 'Lena. Now, all we have to do is make sure their memories come back too."

"You're right," Elena wiped the tears that threatened to fall from her eyes. "Are you gonna go find Jillian?" she asked.

"Nah...I think I'm gonna lay off for now," Jeremy replied. "I don't wanna piss her off any more than I already do."

"Okay, I'll see you at home," Elena said. "And Jer? Thank you."

"You're welcome," Jeremy responded, before they hung up the phone. Elena took a deep breath to compose herself, before heading back in.

* * *

Inside the pub, the place were almost empty. The cleaning crew was tidying up. The waiters were folding napkins and refilling salt and pepper shakers. She found Moon behind the bar, wiping the glasses dry. She quickly approached her.

"Pretty slow right now, huh?" Elena asked, making small conversation.

"Yeah...the lull before the storm. This is our little breather before the dinner crowd arrives," Moon replied. "By the way, the boss was asking about you earlier. We thought you left.

"Oh...I just stepped out for some air," Elena said. "Is he back in his office?"

Moon tilted her head towards the lounge area. "Over there," she replied.

Elena saw him at the stage, behind the piano, as he tinkled with the ivory keys. "He plays?" She knew that Damon played. He's played for her numerous times. But she wasn't sure if Jack remembered that talent.

"Ohhh yeah...he plays," Moon replied. "He's like Carnegie Hall level kind of awesome!"

Elena thanked Moon, and proceeded to head towards Jackson. He continued to play the piano, as she stood there in the corner, and watched with bated breath. She was about to approach him, when she saw Jillian walked up the stage, and sat beside Jackson. Jack kept playing, then Jillian began to sing. The melody of the song as Jack played, combined with Jillian's beautiful voice, brought tears to Elena's eyes.

_Half the world is sleeping,_  
_Half the world's awake_  
_Half can hear their hearts beat_  
_Half just hear them break._

_I am but a traveler, in most every way_  
_Ask me what you want...to know_

_What a journey it has been_  
_And the end is not in sight_  
_But the stars are out tonight_  
_And they're bound to guide my way_

_When they're shining on my life_  
_I can see a better day_  
_I won't let the darkness in,_  
_What a journey it has been._

_I have been to sorrow_  
_I have been to bliss_  
_Where I'll be tomorrow,_  
_I can only guess_

_Through the darkest desert_  
_Through the deepest snow,_  
_Forward...always forward, I go._

_What a journey it has been_  
_And the end is not in sight_  
_But the stars are out tonight_  
_And they're bound to guide my way._

_When they're shining on my life_  
_I can see a better day_  
_I won't let the darkness in,_  
_What a journey it has been..._

_Forward, always forward..._  
_Onward, always up..._  
_Catching every drop of hope_  
_In my empty cup_

_What a journey it has been_  
_And the end is now in sight_  
_But the stars are out tonight_  
_and they're bound to guide my way_

_When they're shining on my life_  
_I can see a better day_  
_I won't let the darkness in,_  
_What a journey it has been..._

_What a journey it has been._

After the song was done, Elena wiped the tears from her eyes. She didn't want to intrude, so she stayed behind the corner, and she observed her best friend and the love of her life. From a distance, she listened to their conversation.

"Have I ever told you that that is one my favorite songs that you've written?" Jillian sighed contently.

"Mmmhmm...flattery...I like it," Jackson replied playfully. "Where's your not-so-secret admirer?" he asked.

"I ditched him. He was asking too many questions," Jillian scoffed.

"Cruel," Jack teased.

"Whatever. Where's YOUR date?" Jill asked, as she elbowed him playfully.

"She's gone. I might have scared her off," Jack answered.

_What? Why would he think that?_ Elena thought to herself.

"What did you do?" Jillian pressed.

"I accused her of being a vegan," Jack told her friend.

"Ouch!" Jill said.

"And then I fed her the most delicious meal of her life," Jack continued.

"Yeah...sounds like torture to me." Jillian retorted. "What can I say? Some women can't handled being wined and dined like that."

"I may have tried to kiss her..." Jack confessed.

"On the lips?" Jill inquired.

"Yes," Jack responded.

"Did you have garlic breath?" Jill asked jokingly. "'Cause that's a major turn-off for some girls."

"No!" Jack scoffed at his friend. "It was a bit fast. She only met me today, and then I try to kiss her? She must think I'm a perv or something."

"You're overreacting. I've been to worse first dates. I'm sure there's a simple explanation to all this." Jill tried to assure him. "Now...let's talk about ME."

"Oh yeah, what happened with the meeting with the agent?" Jackson inquired curiously.

"Well...I just found out when my final audition's gonna be," Jill informed him.

"That's great news, Jill!" Jack exclaimed.

"I know, I know. I'm pretty amazing. I'll try to remember the little people when I'm famous," Jill responded dramatically.

Elena softly chuckled,as the two bantered back and forth. Jack and Jill reminded her of her own dynamic with Jeremy. They act like bickering siblings but support each other at all times. She watched as Jack walked Jill out of the pub and into a cab, and didn't take his eyes off until the cab was out of sight.

_Like a protective brother. _Elena thought.

* * *

Jackson was about to head back inside, but was surprised when he saw Elena standing there in the sidewalk in front of him. "Elena! I thought I scared you away."

"I don't scare that easily," Elena told him. She took her hands on hers, as they proceeded to walk together.

Hand-in-hand, they arrived at the park near the pub. Jack brought her hand close to his face, and he kissed her knuckles. Elena smiled as she brushed a stray strand of hair from his face.

"What?" Elena asked curiously, when she noticed Jackson staring at her intently.

"Finally," Jack replied softly.

"Huh?" Elena was confused.

"When I first saw you...you took my breath away," Jack admitted to her. "You have the face of an angel, but with very sad eyes. Like an angel with a broken wing. And I wondered...what has the world done to you?"

"When you first saw me?" Elena asked.

"Back at the subway..." Jack replied. "You looked so lost. You have the saddest eyes I have ever seen. I thought to myself that if I can just meet you and get to know you, I can make you smile."

"Jack-" Elena whispered.

"You look even more beautiful when your smile reaches your eyes," Jack continued. "I want to devote the remaining days of my life making you smile." He saw her smile grew brighter. "Just like THAT," he said. "Elena, I have no recollection of my past. I have no idea what kind of man I am. But if there's anything I know, it's that every fiber of my being is telling me to make you happy."

Elena pulled him closer into a tight embrace. She nuzzled her face on the side of his neck, and she breathed his scent in. Only then that she allowed to let herself cry. His memories might be gone, but his heart still belonged to her. His soul still screams for her. And she will never let go of that...she will never let go of him.

"Hey..." Jackson pulled away slightly. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to take your smile away," he apologized, as his thumbs wipe her tears away.

Elena shook her head. "I cry because I'm happy," she said, as she laughed and cried at the same time. "I'm funny that way."

"Happy?" Jackson asked.

Elena nodded. "That's right...YOU make me happy?"

"Well...I'm happy that I make you happy," Jack chuckled, as he pulled her back into his arms. They stayed like that for a while, sitting in silence.

"Hmmm..." Elena sighed contently, as Jack's heartbeat calmed her senses. She turned her face to meet Jack's eyes. "Don't you ever wonder what it would be like to remember your past?"

"All the time," Jack answered. But then I think to myself, what if I don't like the kind person that I was before? So I just let it go."

"Don't you remember anything at all? Not even memory flashes?" Elena persisted.

"Nope. No memories whatsoever," Jack shrugged. "But I get these feelings, you know? Like, déjà vu...as if something feels familiar sometimes. Like, I've seen this before...or I've done this before...or I've felt this way before. And I rack, and rack, and rack my brain, but I just can't remember. It was like that when I first saw you, back in the subway."

It was then that Elena decided to test the waters. "Jack...what do you see when you look at me?" she asked him softly.

Jack stared deeply into her eyes. "The future..." he whispered.

"Then, that's me," Elena smiled radiantly. "I'm your future."

"Elena...why do I feel like I've known you all my life?" Jack inquired. He worked up the courage to speak again. "Elena...do I...am I...are you..." he stammered.

Elena raised her hand and gently covered his lips with her fingers. She will never give up hope on getting the old Damon back, but for now, she's willing to keep Jackson in her life.

"Shhh...SPOILERS."

* * *

**~END OF CHAPTER NINE~**

* * *

**A/N** :

*There you go...HOLY HELL, that was long! But I guess you guys deserved it since I made you wait a while.

*In this chapter I featured songs that I like. Let's start with the title..."Future Starts Slow" is a song by The Kills. It was featured on TVD 3x17 - Break On Through, in one of my favorite scenes where Damon was dancing with Sage, then later on he shares a feed with Rebekah, drinking from the pianist.

*Next piece of music is "The Journey" by Broadway and West End actress/singer Lea Salonga. I just like imagining that song being played by Damon/Jackson on the piano, while Bonnie/Jillian sings the lyrics.

*Apologies to the squeamish for the bunny-slaughter scene. Believe me when I tell you that it was a hard part of the story to write, especially since I love Bugs Bunny and Thumper.

*Did you like that scene where Jackson cooked for Elena? Should I write another one like it (a more private one) for a future chapter, let's say, maybe breakfast...in bed?

*Slight explanation on how Bonnie and Damon came back. Hope that's enough for now. More to come later.

*Deep down, Damon/Jackson does remember Elena. The mind might not remember, but the heart never forgets. The memories my not be there, but the feelings still exist.

*Many thanks for taking time to read this chapter. Let me know if you like it by hitting the REVIEW button.


	10. Chapter 10 - Falling Slowly

**A/N** : What? Another update? I just rewatched the S5 finale, and I needed an outlet for my feelings. So, here you go...ENJOY!

* * *

**CHAPTER TEN - Falling Slowly**

* * *

Elena had clothes scattered all over her room, while she applied and reapplied her makeup. _Too plain. Too slutty. Too...scary._ It took her a few retries before she finally got it right. She straightened her hair...pin-straight, exactly like the time she wore it when she first met Damon, back in the middle of that dark road all those years ago.

She stared at herself in the mirror. She was beginning to look like her old self again. The light has started to come back to her eyes. After Damon died, she felt guilty for being happy in a world where he didn't exist. So she avoided feeling anything that leaned towards happiness. In a way, her emotions were switched off, albeit only partially, when she lost Damon.

Seeing herself now, her old glow had returned, now that she has Damon back in her life. She closed her eyes in regret, with overwhelming remorse for ever believing that what she had with Damon was toxic. That all she ever felt for him were wrong. That he was bad for her. How can that be, when the only time she ever felt complete is was when she was with him? In all that time that she had to live without Damon, she never felt right. She was no less miserable. It didn't make her a better person. And now that he has returned to her, whatever the circumstances may be, she vows to never let go of their love. She'll do whatever needs to be done. She'll all accept no matter what the consequences may be. She refuses to lose him again. Not again...never again.

Elena looked at the clock and noticed how late it was getting. If she was going to keep Damon, she needed to get a move on. The first steps to taking back her man is making sure that she's with him constantly. She rummaged through her entire closet, looking for the perfect outfit to wear. She sighed, after she went through her entire wardrobe, changing from one dress to another, but still came up with nothing. It was 'College Night' back at the pub, and she wanted a look that would hold Damon's...Jackson's attention. She didn't want some slutty Tri-Delt stealing him from her. Not that she ever doubted Jackson's affections, but their relationship was still fairly new. Technically, Jackson and Elena have only known each other for a few days. The haven't even had their second first kiss yet. Cheeks, forehead and palms don't count. She was his girlfriend, not his sister.

"Elena! Get your ass down here already! I swear, if you're not ready in two minutes, we're leaving without you!" Elena heard Jeremy yell impatiently from downstairs.

Elena ran down the stairs to speak with her brother. "I have nothing to wear!" she screamed back frustratedly.

"I don't care...go naked!" Jeremy told her.

Alaric smacks him at the back of the head. "Take your time Elena."

"Thank you,"Elena said to Ric, then turned to Jeremy and scowled at the younger Gilbert, before hurriedly running back upstairs to get ready.

* * *

Once Elena finally decided what to wear, she, along with Jeremy and Alaric headed over to The Broken soon as she stepped foot inside the pub, she craned her neck to look for Jackson. Jeremy and Alaric headed straight for the bar.

"Old-Fashioned Maker's...neat," Ric ordered the bartender. "Make it a double."

"I'll have a bottle of Dos Equis," Jeremy said.

"Nice try, kid," the bartender eyed him. "Got any I.D.?"

Jeremy looked to Alaric for a little 'assistance'. "Don't look at me, Jer," Ric shook his head. "I'm not going to encourage underage drinking."

"Fine. Make it an iced tea then," Jeremy grumbled.

Elena finally joined them at the bar. "Have you seen them yet?" she asked the two about Jackson and Jillian.

"Nope," Jeremy replied, his eyes roaming around in search of Jillian.

"Why don't you just go to Jackson's office?" Ric asked her, as he sipped his drink. "It's not like you're not allowed back there."

"I don't wanna appear too eager," Elena answered, as she grabbed Ric's whiskey and swallowed a mouthful of it.

"Hey!" Ric protested.

"You ARE eager. Very eager" Jeremy scoffed.

"As if you're not," Elena retorted. "You probably can't wait to be with 'Jillian' right now."

"I'm not a teenage boy anymore Elena. I can control my libido," Jeremy told her. "Whereas you, with your heightened senses and all, probably wants to jump 'Jackson' all the time."

"Seriously, guys...I really don't wanna hear sex talk coming out of your mouths. I prefer to think of you two as virgins." Ric scrunched his face in disgust.

Elena was about to say something, but quickly forgot what it was once she saw Jackson approach. She greeted him with a radiant smile and pulled him into a tight embrace. Jackson sighed contently, savoring the scent of her hair. When they slightly pulled away from each other, she noticed that Jack was still gazing upon her.

"What? Why are you staring? Something in my face?" Elena stammered self-consciously. "What are you looking at?"

"You..." Jack whispered. "The highlight of my day," he sighed. "God, you're beautiful," he said breathlessly.

And at that moment, right then and there, Elena felt like the most beautiful girl in the world. Jack pulled her closer and wrapped his arms around her waist. Elena rested her head on his chest, and everything felt right with the world. Of course, any moment of happiness in their lives is fleeting, and it wasn't long until they were interrupted again.

As if on cue, Moon tapped Jackson on the shoulder. "Boss?"

Jack grimaced, not wanting to let Elena go. "Whaaat?" he whined.

"I think they're ready for you," Moon told him.

Jackson looked deeply into Elena's eyes, took her hands into his, and then kiss her palms. "Listen, I just need to do this...thing. Then I'm all yours," he promised her. "Please, don't go anywhere."

"I'll be right here," Elena answered. She immediately missed his touch as soon as he walked away.

* * *

Jackson was about to head to the lounge area, when he ran into Jillian, who just came in through the door.

"What's up, Broadway Girl?" Jack teased her.

"Shush! My nerves are frayed enough as it is," Jillian admitted.

"Don't be nervous," Jack told his best friend. "You're amazing. Just ask your admirer over there," he said, tilting his head towards the bar to point at Jeremy.

"Ugh! What's that kid doing here?" Jillian asked irritatedly.

"He's not that young," Jack defended the young Gilbert.

"He's drinking iced tea, for Christ's sake," Jill scoffed. "I probably have shirts that are older than him."

"You're exaggerating," Jack told her. "Hey, if you like the guy, why should his age matter?"

"Who the hell said that I like that kid?" Jillian sneered with fake disdain.

"It's written all over your face," Jack pointed out.

"Like hell, it is!" Jill exclaimed.

"Whatever. I gotta go to work," Jack said, before walking away.

"Yeah...you do that," Jillian responded.

* * *

Jill headed right for the bar and sat at the very end, away from Jeremy. Her tactic didn't work. Jeremy still approached her and sat next to her, as she ordered her drink.

"Jill-" Jeremy spoke.

"Don't talk to me," Jill told him.

"But-" Jeremy tried to protest.

"Don't talk to me," Jill repeated.

"Oh, come on-" Jeremy whined.

"Jeremy?" Jill said.

"Yes?" Jeremy replied, his mood picking up.

"You're talking to me," Jillian pointed out.

"I am," Jeremy replied.

"Don't talk to me," Jillian told him again, before turning away and taking a sip of her drink.

Their little squabble continued, until Jackson stepped up the stage and spoke into the microphone.

"Ladies and gentlemen, listen up," Jack told the patrons. "Our very own, Jillian Nightingale has made it to the final round of auditions for a Broadway musical. Let's all wish her luck on her audition tomorrow, and see if she'll grace us a song."

Jill was met with a round of applause and hoots of encouragement. She finished her drink, sneered at Jeremy, before walking up the stage.

"I'm actually going to need Jack's help on this one." Jill told er audience. 'The final audition is a chemistry test with the potential male lead, so I'll be requiring someone to do the duet with."

"Woo hoo," Elena loudly cheered on, clapping her hands.

The lights dimmed slightly, setting up the mood, as Jackson began to play the piano. Not long after, Jillian started to sing.

**JILLIAN**_ :  
I am here to tell you we can never meet again  
Simple really, isn't it, a word or two and then  
A lifetime of not knowing where or how or why or when  
You think of me or speak of me and wonder what befell  
That someone you once loved so long ago so well._

Elena sat there in shock, when Jackson started to sing. She knew that Damon could play the piano, but she had no idea that he was also a talented singer.

**JACKSON : **_  
Never wonder what I'll feel as living shuffles by  
You don't have to ask me and I need not reply  
Every moment of my life from now until I die  
I will think or dream of you and fail to understand  
How a perfect love can be confounded out of hand._

Together, the blending of both Jack and Jill's voices sent chills down Elena's spine, as she continued to listen.

_Is it written in the stars?  
Are we paying for some crime?  
Is that all that we are good for  
Just a stretch of mortal time_

_Or some god's experiment  
In which we have no say  
In which we're given paradise  
But only for a day._

**JILLIAN :**_  
Nothing can be altered, there is nothing to decide  
No escape, no change of heart, no any place to hide_

**JACKSON**_ :  
Oh, you are all I'll ever want, but this I am denied  
Sometimes in my darkest thoughts, I wish I'd never learned_

**JACK & JILL **:_  
What it is to be in love and have that love returned_

**JILLIAN**_ :  
Is it written in the stars?  
Are we paying for some crime?  
Is that all that we are good for?  
Just a stretch of mortal time_

**JACK & JILL **:_  
Or some god's experiment  
In which we have no say  
In which we're given paradise  
But only for a day._

Jillian took a bow and thanked her audience, but the people were clamoring for more. She tried to silence them.

"Contrary to popular belief, I don't have a 40 ounce bladder," Jill laughed softly, the audience laughing along with her. "I gotta go pee! Jack, the stage is yours," she announced before stepping off the stage, and hurriedly running towards the ladies restroom.

"Jillian Nightingale, ladies and gentlemen," Jackson stated awkwardly. "Wow...she kinda put me on the spot here," he fidgeted with the microphone nervously, not used to being on stage without his best friend with him. "I know that this is usually poetry hour...so to start things off, I'm gonna do an original composition of mine. Well...it started as a poem...and it just kind of evolved into this," he stammered. "It's inspired by recent events involving this...unbelievably beautiful young woman that I saw in the subway. She's the only one who makes my heart beat faster and slower at the same time. So...here it goes..."

Jackson picked up one of the acoustic guitars on stage, and began to pluck the strings with his fingers. He searched for Elena at the crowd, and once he found her, he held her gaze with his. He started to sing, never taking his eyes off of Elena's.

_I don't know you, but I want you all the more for that_  
_Words fall through me and always fool me and I can't react_  
_And games that never amount to more than they're meant_  
_Will play themselves out._

_Take this sinking boat and point it home_  
_We've still got time._  
_Raise your hopeful voice, you have a choice_  
_You've made it now._

_Falling slowly eyes that know me and I can't go back,_  
_Moods that take me and erase me and I'm painted black._  
_You have suffered enough and warred with yourself_  
_It's time that you won._

_Take this sinking boat and point it home_  
_We've still got time._  
_Raise your hopeful voice, you had the choice_  
_You've made it now._

_Falling slowly...sing your melody,_  
_I'll sing along._

Elena's eyes welled up, she was soon wiping her tear-stained face. The combination of the lyrics and melody of the song, along with Jack's soulful voice and the intensity of his beautiful blue eyes was a lot to take in. She struggled to catch the breath her body didn't even need, as Jack stepped off the stage and headed towards her.

"Elena Gilbert," Jack whispered, letting her name roll off his tongue. "This thing between us, I may not understand it...which scares the hell out of me...but if you're willing to take a chance on a guy like me, then I trust you. And I'm all in."

He wiped the tears from her eyes, and pulled her closer. He leaned in and gently caressed her cheek. He tilted his head and pressed his lips into hers. Elena moaned, as he took the kiss deeper. She felt like she was in heaven, when their tongues joined and danced inside each others' mouths.

Alaric, who sat beside them, cleared his throat. "Oi, get a room!" he told them. "On second thought...stay right there where I can keep my eye on you two."

Jackson chuckled, and was about to say something, when Elena cupped his face, and pressed her lips to his for another sizzling kiss, their tongues continued to fool around. Jack wrapped his arms around her, in urgent need to feel her body pressed to his, while Elena continued to kiss him with great fervor, much to Alaric's chagrin.

* * *

Back at the ladies restroom, Jillian staggered to keep herself vertical. Her headache was getting really bad, her vision began to blur. The voices inside her head were screaming louder, she covered her ears, but it didn't help.

There was aloud knock on the door, before she heard Jeremy's voice. "Jillian? Are you there?"

"Go away!" Jillian yelled, as she winced at the pounding on her head.

"Are you okay? You don't sound so good," Jeremy asked worriedly. "That's it, I'm coming in," he announced when he didn't get a reply.

When Jeremy stepped inside, he saw Jillian clutching at her head. She looked up, and was shocked to see him. "What the hell are you doing here? This is the Ladies Room!"

"I got worried," Jeremy answered.

"Get out!" Jill screamed again, which only made her headache worse. "AGGHH! Make it stop! Please, make it stop!" she pleaded, as she grabbed her head in pain.

"Make what stop?" Jeremy asked worriedly. "Hey...look at me. Tell me what's wrong," he said, pulling her close to him.

Jillian stared into his eyes, and noticed that they were filled with love and affection. Without a word, she grabbed his face and pulled him into a demanding kiss. And then, she noticed that the pain in her head stopped, and the voices in her head went silent, while she was kissing Jeremy.

Jeremy moaned and slightly pulled away. "Wait..." he said breathlessly.

"Shhh! Don't talk...just kiss me," Jillian ordered him, before locking the door, and pushing him against the wall. Before Jeremy could protest, she grabbed his face again and pulled him for another scorching kiss.

* * *

**~END OF CHAPTER TEN~**

* * *

**A/N** :

*Yeah...that just happened. Jelena's first kiss, that's progress, right? And Jillemy is sizzling! [fans self]

*First song sang by Jack and Jill is called "Written In The Stars" from the Broadway musical AIDA, which is the same musical Jillian is auditioning for.

*Second song, sang by Jack to Elena, is called "Falling Slowly" by Glen Hansard, Markéta Irglová. I love this song, and it seemed fitting to the scene, if you really read and understand the lyrics.

*Looks like Bonnie/Jillian is getting worse. Good news is, Jeremy's kisses seems to be a good cure.

*There you go, another chapter, done and dusted. Hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I loved writing it. Reviews would be greatly appreciated.


	11. Chapter 11 -The Right Kind Of Wrong

**A/N** : Certain parts of this chapter is borderline Rated **M**. Seriously, it's a fine thread that separates it from being smut. Apologies...I tried to keep it as clean as I can. Hope it's not too explicit for young readers.

* * *

**CHAPTER ELEVEN – The Right Kind Of Wrong**

* * *

Jillian fluttered her eyes open as she slowly woke up in her bed. She sighed contentedly, feeling energized after a good night's sleep. It had been a while since her body felt rested like that. She instantly froze when she felt someone moving right beside her. She turned her head to find Jeremy slowly stirring right beside her...naked. He grumbled softly while he draped his arm on her waist, pulling her body tighter into his, as he nuzzled his face into the crook of her neck, and went right back to sleep.

_What the hell happened last night? _Jillian rattled her brain for some answers.

Then, she remembered. She had another bad attack of those killer headaches back at the pub. Jeremy found her in the bathroom, and they started making out. And then...oh. Jillian scoffed and smacked herself on the forehead, rubbing her hand furiously on her face, when she recalled the rest of her transgressions as the night progressed. She turned to Jeremy again. The younger man looked so sweet and innocent while he slept. She couldn't believe that she had used the boy for sex, just so she can make herself feel better. She was used to casual sex, when there was no feelings involved. Somehow, with Jeremy, she knew that wasn't the case this time.

Her thoughts were interrupted when her cellphone buzzed from her night stand. She slowly extricated herself from Jeremy's embrace, careful not to wake him up, and retrieved her phone without getting out of bed. Jeremy stirred again, maneuvering himself deeper into the covers. Jillian looked at her phone's screen to see who was calling her this early in the morning.

"Hello, Stanley?" she whispered. "Yeah...I'm ready..." she said, as she felt Jeremy moving underneath the covers. "No, there's nothing wrong with my voice. I'm saving it for later...for the audition," she continued, as she stifled a gasped when she felt Jeremy's tongue come out to play. "Yes..." she said breathlessly. "I'll be there," she added, as she muffled a moan by biting into her knuckle. She felt Jeremy's tongue dipping into her navel. She said a quick goodbye to Stanley, before abruptly hanging up the phone.

"Who was that? Boyfriend?" Jeremy mumbled, as he continued to kiss her stomach.

"Agent," Jillian answered, while she enjoyed the attention Jeremy was paying her body.

"Good," Jeremy said, as his tongue lapped into her right nipple, causing her to shiver. "What time is your audition?"

"Not till a few hours from now," Jillian was interrupted by her own moan. "Jeremy...about last night-" she stammered.

"It was incredible," Jeremy mumbled in between kisses.

"It was a mistake," Jillian told him, as she struggled to catch her breath. Jeremy's mouth was driving her insane.

"You didn't sound too regretful last night," he reminded her, as he continued to kiss her body.

"Jeremy," she sighed. "You just came home with me...a woman that you barely know. And we had sex..."

"Lots of sex," Jeremy added playfully.

"You have no idea who I am," she repeated. "I can be a psycho killer for all you know!"

"You don't look like a psycho killer to me," Jeremy chuckled.

"Of course I don't! If all psycho killers looked like psycho killers, they'd never do any psycho-killing!" Jillian groaned.

"Well...I was kinda hoping you'd have second thoughts about kicking me out of your bed and murdering me, considering how many times I made you come last night," Jeremy said, as he suckled into her left breast. "We have a few hours, you said? We can make a LOT of mistakes in a few hours."

"Listen..." Jillian said, struggling to put a coherent thought together.

"No, you listen," Jeremy told her. "I blew your mind last night...amongst other body parts," he said with a playful smile, before leaving a trail of kisses on the side of her neck. "And that scares you. But you don't have to be afraid...not when it comes to me."

"Jeremy...you seem like a really nice boy-" Jillian shuddered as he gripped her thighs to spread her legs open.

"Jillian?" Jeremy said.

"Hmmm...?" she moaned when she felt him line himself up against her core.

"Shut up," Jeremy whispered, before pressing a demanding kiss into her lips.

"Unfh!" Jillian gasped into his mouth, stifling a scream when he slid himself inside of her.

* * *

A few hours later, Jillian was inside a cab on her way to her audition, when her cellphone rang. She smiled at the familiar ringtone, before she quickly answered.

"Hello, Jack..." she singsonged into her phone.

"Jill?" Jackson replied. "What the heck happened to you last night? You just disappeared."

"Uhm...yeah, I wasn't feeling well," she told him, contemplating on whether or not to tell her best friend what really happened.

"You okay now? Your audition's today-" Jack worriedly inquired.

"I'm good...I'm alright...I'm fine," Jillian stammered her reply.

"Okaaay... So...how did you get home last night?" Jack asked curiously.

"Jeremy...took me home," Jillian mumbled.

"Oh," Jack said, realizing what Jill was trying to tell him, without exactly telling him. "Oh, no..."

"Oh, no...what?" Jill panicked.

"You slept with him," Jackson deducted.

"Uhm...yeah," Jill said softly. "In all fairness, Jack...it was it best 'sleep' I've had in ages!"

"Jillian..." Jack said in a scolding tone.

"I couldn't help it, okay?" Jill whispered guiltily. "He took me home. He walked me to my door. Next thing I know, we were naked on my kitchen floor!"

"You had sex with him on your kitchen floor?" she could hear Jack almost choking.

"On the kitchen floor. Against the wall. Against the bedroom door. On the floor of my bedroom..." Jill enumerated. "Eventually, we made it to the bed at around midnight. Then, in the shower this morning-" she went on.

"Okay, that's waaay more than I needed to know," Jack grumbled on the other line. "What happened to him being 'too young' for you?"

"I don't get it either, Jack," she confessed. "He's not my type. You've seen my type, and he is sooooo NOT my type," she reminded him. "But, Jeremy...his kisses seemed to silence all the voices in my head when he kisses me. And he makes my headaches go away with the way he works my body-"

"Okay! TMI, Jill!" Jack yelled. "I'm gonna hang up now!"

"Wait..." Jill said. "Wish me luck?"

"You're not the kind of woman who needs any luck," Jack chuckled. "Good luck," he whispered sweetly, before hanging up the phone.

* * *

Jeremy headed straight home after leaving Jillian's apartment. He quickly proceeded to his room, when he ran into Elena by the stairway. His sister eyed his appearance and raised an eyebrow.

"Walk of shame much?" Elena asked teasingly.

"Don't you have classes today?" Jeremy retorted.

"Not till later," she answered. "Don't you?"

"Not till later," Jeremy replied, mimicking his sister's voice. He weaved his way past Elena, and went inside his room.

His sister quickly followed him before he closed the door. "So...you and 'Jillian'?" Elena pressed playfully.

"None of your business!" Jeremy scoffed.

"That bad, huh?" Elena joked.

"NO! It was amazing. She was amazing, just like the way she was..." Jeremy struggled to get the words out. "And..." he frustratedly ran his hands all over his hair.

"You were hoping that she would remember..." Elena finished the sentence for him. The look on Jeremy's face said everything. "She didn't remember?"

"She didn't remember," Jeremy confirmed her assumption. He sighed, as he slumped his body into his bed.

"Oh, Jer..." Elena sighed sympathetically.

"I'm not giving up, Elena," Jeremy said with conviction. "I don't care what I have to do. I won't give up until she gets her memories back."

* * *

Jeremy tried calling Jillian and left her a dozen messages, but she didn't return any of them. It was a few days later when he saw her again. It was late in the afternoon, back at the pub.

"Hi," Jeremy whispered.

"Shouldn't you be in school?" Jillian regarded him with a look of annoyance, as she pulled her coat on tighter.

"Will you quit doing that? I'm not a little kid!" Jeremy grumbled. "I think I've pretty much proven that a few nights ago, when I made you-"

"Oh, my God!" Jillian exclaimed. "Shut up!" she silenced him, as she pulled him into the kitchen door and inside Jackson's office.

Jackson looked up from his desk and raised an eyebrow. "Can I help you two?"

"Ask Jillian! She was the one who dragged me in here," Jeremy grumbled.

"I was stopping you from making a scene!" Jillian exclaimed.

"Will you excuse us?" Jeremy told Jackson.

"You're kicking me out of my own office?" Jack asked incredulously. "Okay...it's not like I do any real work around here or anything," he said mockingly.

"Whoa...somebody's grumpy today," Jillian noticed.

"I am NOT-" Jack scoffed, before he was interrupted by a soft knock on his door.

"Hey," Elena greeted sweetly.

"Hey back," Jack whispered in return, his expression immediately softening.

"I'm sorry...were you busy?" Elena asked apologetically.

"No...no..." Jackson shook his head. He quickly approached her. "I always have time for you."

"What?" Jill scoffed. "SHE doesn't get any grumpiness? So not fair!"

"Well...she's hot!" Jack quickly replied.

"Awww," Elena said, before wrapping her arms around his neck and pressing a kiss on his lips.

"Mmmm..." Jack moaned, as she slipped her tongue inside his mouth.

"Ahem," Jillian cleared her throat.

"Get a room," Jeremy added.

Jackson pulled away slightly, making Elena groan from the sudden loss of contact. "We ARE in a room," Jack told the two. "Last time I checked, this was still MY office," Jack reminded them.

"That can wait," Jillian said, separating Jack from Elena before the two could kiss again. "I need a favor," she told Jack.

"Ugh!" Jackson grumbled in frustration. "And you need it NOW?"

"Yes," Jillian replied. "I need you to call Stanley," she told him, as she handed him the phone.

"Stanley? Stanley the Shark? Your agent Stanley?" Jack clarified.

"Yes," Jillian answered. "Today's the day I find out whether I got the part or not."

"I don't get it. Why can't you call him?" Jack asked.

"I'm too nervous," Jill replied. "Please,Jack..." she begged. "This is my last shot. If I don't get this part, I'm sooo totally giving up."

"You're too talented to give up," Elena chimed in.

"Honey, if you've been through as much rejection as I have been, you'd be singing a different tune," Jill told Elena. "So...I made a promise to myself that if I don't get the lead, I'm gonna move to a faraway country. I'm leaning towards Brazil."

Jeremy's eyes bugged out after Jillian took her coat off. Elena gasped once she saw her friend's attire. It was a bit risqué. It was a caftan mini-dress that barely reached the middle of her thigh. And it was made of a mesh fabric, so anyone can see through that she was wearing a red and white striped string bikini with a triangle halter top that barely covered her breasts.

"What the heck are you wearing?" Jackson yelled.

"It's a dress," Jillian replied.

"According to who?" Jackson was obviously irked. He tried to cover her body up again with her coat.

Jillian slapped his hands away. "Betsy Johnson!"

"Nice..." Jeremy stammered. "Looks good on you."

Elena chuckled as Jackson rolled his eyes at Jeremy. "Where the hell is the rest of it?" Jack asked Jill. "Is there fabric shortage in the world that I didn't know about?"

"I'm dressed for Rio!" Jillian yelled.

"You're not moving to Brazil!" Jack shouted back.

"We'll see..." Jillian retorted. "Just give Stanley a call, will you please?" she asked in a lighter tone.

"Fine! Give me the number," Jackson said. He quickly dialed the number that Jillian gave him. He waited as he waited for the other line to pick up. "Hello, Stanley? This is Jackson Crow...Jillian's friend..." There was a brief pause. "She wanted me to call you. Did they call you with the results?" he asked, followed by another pause. Jack nodded his head from time to time. "Uh huh. Yeah, I'm still here. Okay. Got it. I'll let her know. Thanks, Stanley. Bye now," he concluded, still with a straight face.

Jillian, along with Jeremy and Elena, looked at him expectantly.

"Well? The suspense is killing me!" Jillian asked him urgently.

"You better sit down," Jack said with a serious face.

"What is it?" Jillian asked, while Jack led her to the sofa.

Jackson's serious expression slowly dissolved into a smile. "Jill...you got the part! You're the female lead for AIDA!"

Jeremy whooped and pulled Jillian into a hug, while Elena sighed in relief and congratulated her friend.

Jillian regained her poise as soon as she recovered from her shock. "Jackson, get me the finest champagne and caviar in the land! We are going to celebrate!" she announced dramatically.

"Yeah..no. How about I go and get us some wine and cheese...and you will still like it," Jackson told her.

"That'll do," Jill said, the grin never leaving her face.

"I'll come with you," Elena told Jack, before they both exited the office.

* * *

Jackson went into the cellar and got a bottle of the finest vintage Riesling from his private collection. One of the staff handed Elena a platter of sliced triple crème Brie and blue blend that Jackson had asked for. Together, Jack and Elena proceeded to return to the office.

"Huh..." Jack said, while he fiddled with the door knob.

"What?" Elena asked.

"That's funny...I don't remember locking the door," Jackson replied, as he tried to open the door again.

Elena was about to say something, when they heard a commotion from the inside of the office.

"Ohhhhhh..." they heard Jillian moan loudly.

Jackson slammed his eyes shut, sighed and shook his head. Slowly, he sat the wine and the cheese down on a cart nearby, and turned to walk away.

"Where are you going?" Elena asked Jack, gently grabbing his hand to stop him.

Jack sighed again. "I'm gonna go shopping for a new sofa," he told Elena. "I have a feeling I'm gonna have to burn that old one after today."

Elena chuckled, and softly pressed a hand to his cheek. "Don't be silly...just leave it to me," she said to him, before turning away and began knocking loudly at the door. "Great Aunt Myrtle in a mumu!" she yelled loud enough for Jeremy to hear. She turned her attention back to Jack. "I don't give a crap if you're the horniest human being on the planet. That image burned into your skull will kill anyone's libido," she giggled softly.

Not long after, the door swung open, with Jeremy hurriedly tucking his shirt inside his pants. "Not nice, sister," he glared at Elena.

"Don't care, little brother," Elena snorted in response.

Jillian suddenly came out of the office, pulling her coat tightly against her body. "So...I-I...forgot...I needed to be somewhere...to do...something!" she stammered, as she pulled Jeremy by the wrist.

"Yeah..." Jeremy agreed, clearing his throat. He zipped up his jacket, with Jillian's bikini bottom sticking out of the pocket, unnoticed only by him. "We'll be leaving now," he announced.

"Let's go," Jillian growled impatiently, as she yanked him towards the exit.

Jackson exhaled loudly as he watched the pair hurriedly walk away. "I'm gonna be needing some intensive therapy to get that out of my head."

Elena gently turned his head to face her. She gave him a sultry look, as she gently steered him inside the office, kissing him lightly on the lips. She was about to close the door, when Jack stopped her.

"Wait," Jack said. He stepped out of the office for a bit. He went back to the cart and grabbed the bottle of Reisling and two glasses with one hand, and the platter of sliced Brie on the other. He turned to Elena and smile. "Now, we're ready." He quickly shut the door with his foot.

He sat the wine, the glasses and the cheese platter down on the nearby coffee table. He opened the bottle, poured it into a glass and handed it to Elena, then did the same thing for himself.

"Our dates seems to always be inside your office. You really want me all to yourself, don't you?" Elena teased him.

"Well...can you blame me?" Jack said, as he fed her a slice of Brie with his hands.

"Mmm," Elena moaned softly, as she tasted the cheese in her mouth. Then, she playfully nibbled on Jack's fingers, licking them clean. "Thanks," she whispered seductively.

Jack held his breath, as he stared into her delectable mouth. "You're welcome," he replied breathlessly. "It's the least I could do...after you saved my sofa."

Elena giggled. She took her glass, along with Jack's, and sat them on the coffee table. She draped her arm around his neck and pulled him closer. "You wanna thank me properly? Then, kiss me."

"Yes, ma'am," Jack replied, wrapping his arms around her waist and leaning in to press his lips against hers.

As the kiss grew more demanding, they fumbled their way towards his desk, sending some of his stuff cluttering to the floor.

"What's this?" Elena asked, as she picked up a piece of rolled up parchment paper.

"Oh...it's an invitation to the Renaissance Faire," Jack replied. "We're one of the establishments participating at the food booths for the festival."

"Well, serendipity!" Elena exclaimed. "I'm going too! I'm part of the committee in charge of the NYU's Shakespeare booth," she informed him.

"That''s great," Jack said. "We can go together."

"Jackson Crow," Elena chuckled. "Are you asking me out on a date?"

"Well, as much as I want to...I can't keep you holed up here in my office, away from civilized society, now can I?" Jack replied jokingly. "So, yes, Miss Elena Gilbert...will you do me the great honor of accompanying me to the Renaissance Faire as my date." He brought her hands to his lips and kissed her palms.

"Since you asked ever so politely...then, yes, I agree to be your date, Mr. Crow," Elena answered.

"You have my deepest gratitude, Miss Gilbert," Jack returned her smile. He noticed Elena staring deeply into his eyes. "What's that look?"

Elena shook her head and bit her lower lip. "Nothing. It's just that Alaric warned me about rushing into a relationship with you," she chuckled softly. "He strongly encourages a courtship stage.

"You mean I have to bring on the 'woo'?" Jack snorted.

Elena laughed loudly. "Yes...you have to bring on the 'woo'!"

"I can do that," Jack said with a smile. "I mean, far be it from me to sully your virtue..."

"Oh...you may sully my virtue anytime you please," Elena giggled, as she steered him past his desk and gently pushed him into his chair.

"Miss Gilbert!" Jack playfully chastised her. "Whatever will your guardian say?"

"My guardian is not here," Elena said, as she sat astride onto his lap. "And what he doesn't know won't hurt us." She kissed him teasingly on the lips. "So...about our date. Will you be wearing a costume?"

"Nah...they said that it's not a requirement to wear a costume," Jack replied.

"It may not be required, but it is encouraged," Elena pointed out, as she pressed kisses along his jawline, his chin, then finally back to his lips.

"You're going to make me wear a costume, aren't you?" Jack asked suspiciously.

Elena gasped, feigning offense at his comment. "I'm not going to MAKE you do anything," she said, as she leaned closer to kiss him again.

"Mmmhmm..." Jackson smiled into her mouth. "But if you are going to MAKE me...what attire would you like me to wear?"

"Hmmm..." Elena pretended to think for a moment. Then, she turned her attention back to him. "Surprise me," she told him, before pulling him closer for another demanding kiss.

"You know what you are?" Jack asked in between fervent kisses. "You're chocolate."

"Huh?" Elena pulled away slightly, looking confused.

"Too much of you can actually kill me, but for the life of me, I just can't seem to give you up." Jack responded with a smile, as he allowed Elena to capture his mouth with hers once again.

Jackson held onto her waist tightly, as he felt her grind her hips down to his, causing a much pleasurable friction between their fully-clothed bodies. He gasped softly, his heartbeat pulsating faster, when she tilted his head at an angle, deepening their kiss. He purred softly, as her fingers latched onto his hair, her nails gently massaging his scalp. He moaned into her mouth, as she sensually sucked on his tongue. He was running out of air, but he didn't want her to stop.

Suddenly, there was a couple of knocks on the door, before it opened abruptly, with Carlos poking his head inside the office. "Boss, we need-," he never got a chance to finish the sentence.

Jackson blindly groped his desk for something to throw at him, as Elena continued to kiss him, never letting go of his mouth. His hand settled on the hematite stone paperweight nearby, and hurled it at Carlos, barely missing his head.

"I'll come back later," Carlos said apologetically, before closing the door behind him.

* * *

**~END OF CHAPTER ELEVEN~**

* * *

**A/N** :

*HAPPY TVD SEASON PREMIERE DAY! Hope you enjoy watching it! No spoilers, except for THREE words : Damn, Elena...DAYUM! [shakes fist furiously]

*Also, I'm glad that everyone liked the double update I did last week.

*To be quite honest, when I started writing this story, I didn't think that I'd be writing as much Beremy/Jillemy scenes as I am at the moment. Oh well, that's okay, right?

*Apologies for the lack of Delena/Jelena between-the-sheets action. I'm still working my way around the fact that Damon/Jack has a heart condition. Can't get him TOO excited, lest Elena might kill him...DEAD dead this time. Besides, they keep getting cock-blocked all the freaking time. So, Elena's gonna have to just grin and bear it for the time being.

*Next chapter : How exactly does one woo a girl while on a Renaissance Faire?

*If you're on MEDIUM, follow me on my writer's account (full link is on my profile here). Even if you're not on MEDIUM, just bookmark my page. I usually post photos/songs/videos related to my stories on my page. It's like an interactive companion piece for my fics. Who knows...you might enjoy it.

*In case you missed it, I also have other TVD fanfics that I've been working on recently, "What Dreams May Come" and "Falling Away From Me". If you have time, please do check them out and let me know how you like them.

*Again, many thanks to all of my readers. Let me know if you enjoyed this chapter by clicking the REVIEW button.


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